


Animae Sine Amore Immortales

by baeconandeggs



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Arson, BAE2017, M/M, crude sexual innuendos, death of a bunny :(, lbullying, mention of suicide, unprotected intercourse
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-29
Updated: 2017-05-29
Packaged: 2018-11-06 07:24:42
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 161,446
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11031414
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/baeconandeggs/pseuds/baeconandeggs
Summary: Immortal souls without love. The moon dreams of fire yearning to burn and love reborn from the ashes.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> AUTHOR: [kittensromance (LJ)](https://kittensromance.livejournal.com/) // [anothertakeonromance (AFF)](https://www.asianfanfics.com/profile/view/788879)  
> PROMPT #: 022  
> 
> 
> Disclaimer: The celebrities’ names/images are merely borrowed and do not represent who the celebrities are in real life. No offense is intended towards them, their families or friends. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. No money is being made from this fictional work. No copyright infringement is intended.
> 
> Author’s Note: Hello~ I am very excited to be participating in BAE this year, it’s something I’ve been hoping to do for a while now! This story might be a little different from my usual writing, and I might have taken some liberties with the prompt, but I’ve worked hard on it and I hope it won’t disappoint. It was supposed to be more lyrical –and even longer, imagine that– but due to certain issues, it came out a bit different than I had envisioned it; I apologize if it seems rushed in some parts, please treat it kindly. Thank you mods for your kindness and patience. Thank you M, F, and E, for offering insight, holding my hand through this and listening to my endless babblings; you keep me sane. Thank you to all who encouraged me with sweet words when finishing this story seemed impossible. I’d be happy to talk with any survivors of this monsterfic and answer any questions after reveals. I hope you enjoy this year’s BAE fest~

Stars.

There are so many in the sky, twinkling in the distance. The night is draped over the valley, obscuring inconsequential details, a gentle summer breeze sweeping over the grass blades and tickling his skin, dulling all other senses. He is all alone, sprawled on his back in the midst of the field, absolute, tranquil silence and solitude surrounding him; the idleness is a welcome change, comforting. The horizon runs as far as his mind will take him, midnight velvet unraveling in every direction. The sky stretches black and blue into the universe, endlessly vast and dotted with tiny silver lanterns of hope, floating steadily and peacefully.

It’s a beautiful night for stargazing.

Chanyeol loves the stars, how steadfast and serene they are, and he loves that the universe is so wide. It holds so much beauty and pureness in its cradle, so many miracles, and a place for everyone. Maybe, somewhere out there, there is a place for him, too. A better place and a better future, perhaps even a miracle. He longs to find that place, but he is still bound to his native land, to that faint outline of a forest and a city far away on the horizon. It is all he knows at the tender age of six, but he dreams of a greater world and the many fascinating creatures inhabiting it, the enthralling emotions waiting to bubble in his heart.

He sighs longingly and peers deeper into space, his wide eyes mapping out the constellations he knows and picturing the flaming and frozen, radiant nebulae beyond the Milky Way. There is a massive world all around him which he can’t even fathom, woven of destiny threads and accidents that make perfect sense; everyone and all belong here. There must be a place for him too somewhere, there _must_. He is just a little different and he will need to find an equally unique place to belong.

He knows it’s out there, perhaps far away, perhaps not. What if there is someone already there, waiting for him? Someone who will accept what he is, love him for who he is, someone who won’t abandon or hurt him. It’s his little heart’s most sincere wish.

A distant bell chimes, resonating in the silence, and suddenly there’s a change in the air. Chanyeol startles, the silence of the valley turning stale and stifling, the darkness of the night becoming a black mass threatening to swallow him. His solitude cages him in, leaving him helpless as his ghosts pay him the customary visit, with sharp teeth and cold claws, silent and lingering at the edges of his vision like smoke. The ground feels cold and the grass prickles his skin like thorns, the stars in the sky gather and fly away; he knows this haunting feeling turning in his stomach and scratching at his lungs. There is only darkness everywhere.

It’s coming. He has to run.

He tries to stand up but he can’t move his arms or legs; there is something sticky and wet pooling underneath him, something so disgusting that makes him cringe as he writhes on the ground. He has to run but he can’t. There is a collar of insecurities choking him, a chain of fear linking him to an abyss too sinister for his young eyes. It’s too late to escape and he can only fight against himself, tears of dread and despair forming in his eyes. He can faintly hear the familiar screech, the agonizing cries which will soon grow deafening, and he kicks at nothing blindly, his hot tears overflowing. He tries to scream but no sound comes out of his lips; he tries harder, to no avail. The ground shakes and opens.

And he’s falling.

Chanyeol wakes up with a scream on his lips and tears in his eyes. His heart is racing in his chest, his forehead is drenched in sweat and his stomach is twisting in his gut uncomfortably. He cries out until his throat is raw, and then it turns into a sob; he sits up, forcing the bile down and trying to recognize his familiar bedroom in the darkness. He throws away the heavy covers and hastily wipes away his tears with clumsy hands, jumping out of his bed and running to the window for some air. He opens it as fast as he can, tiptoeing to reach the clasp and tearing it open, leaning outside to breathe in as much air as his small lungs can take.

He’s okay. He’s okay, everything is okay.

He tries to calm down, slow down, shudders running through his body. He’s okay, he’s safe. It was just another nightmare. He grits his teeth, but it’s less about the cold and more about the barren feeling inside him. Sometimes he feels so foolish to think he can escape his dreadful dreams; they’ve been visiting him every night ever since he can remember himself. It’s a miracle he sleeps at all, but he can’t stay awake forever. His body is so confusing sometimes. Sniffling quietly, he wipes a few stray tears from his cheeks with his sleeves and presses his hands against his eyes, willing away all the ugly and scary images lurking behind his eyelids. He’s safe.

The city is still slumbering outside his window, silent and still before the dawn, lingering on its last dream. Sparse streetlights are still alight like artificial fireflies in the distance, closed curtains and locked doors line the household fronts, beautiful gardens are waiting to bloom in the sun and soft shadows lurk in every corner of the cobblestone streets, curling their way to the upper city. The moonlight is fading in the sky, receding with the night and stars, to give way to the first sunrays. It’s always the twilight hours, when his body gets indecisive, that his nightmares are more vivid. The air is chilly, biting his cheeks, but it will be a warm and sunny summer’s day once the sun rises above the horizon.

He sighs tiredly, one small fist rubbing at his sore eyes as he takes out the little talisman his mother gave him. He doesn’t bother glancing at it a second time, ripping it off his neck and throwing it on his pillow. It didn’t help him any more than all the other things they’ve tried to ward off his bad dreams. He was born like this, he can’t escape it.

“Honey, are you okay?” his mother’s voice calls quietly, and he spins around to find her half awake and leaning against the doorframe. Her long brown hair is messy and her large eyes are glassy with sleep. She is used to waking up from his screams in the middle of the night, but she still makes an effort to check on him, unless she is too tired to stir. Chanyeol has learnt to take care of himself.

“Just a dream” he whispers. He doesn’t run to her for comfort or cry for reassurance, like any child would do. It’s not because he is a brave child, like some might endearingly assume; it’s because he knows. He can’t find what is not there. His mother simply nods in understanding, gathering her night robes closer to herself to keep warm; she never asks about his nightmares, and he’s not sure he wants her to.

“Do you need anything?” she offers, but he shakes his head; he feels much better now, she doesn’t need to worry. He will go back to sleep soon, until it’s time to wake up and get ready for school, like he does every day. She presses her lips thoughtfully, her eyes wandering to where his protective trinket should be hanging around his neck; even though she notices it’s missing, she doesn’t say anything about it. “Close that window before you go back to bed” she reminds him, like all concerned mothers do, before she slips away to her room and he is alone again.

Chanyeol folds his arms on the windowsill and rests his head there, eyes gazing at the idle city below. He walks these streets every day, therefore they hold little interest; the streets of the upper city are much more impressive and appealing, but he can only see the tiled roofs ascending the hill from his window, nothing of the wealthy streets and grand mansions, or the colorful markets. The sky is empty of stars and colors at this hour, bleak and lukewarm, and the blankness reflects inside him. Everything is silent and still, unremarkable; his eyes start drooping drowsily, so he closes the window, ready to return to his bed and seek warmth and sleep under his covers. The window clasp is sometimes difficult to latch, but this time he fastens it with no trouble at all, and he bounds under his duvet right after.

He doesn’t notice something slipping through the window and then hovering quietly in the shadows.

~~~

“Come on, let’s go with the others! I don’t want to be picked last!” Chen complains, hopping on his heels impatiently next to Chanyeol. Chen always complains, but he always stays behind with Chanyeol anyway; it doesn’t matter that they both know Chanyeol is the one who _always_ gets picked last. The children of their class spill boisterously into the open field, eager to start their games under the watchful gaze of their teachers. Spring school trips are the most enjoyable of the year; the weather is ideal and the children can play to their hearts’ content.

“Ah, go go! I’ll be right behind you!” Chanyeol dismisses his shorter friend, kneeling down to tie his shoelaces. He can manage to catch up with the rest, his friend doesn’t have to wait for him too. Chen looks at Chanyeol and then at their scattered classmates, considering his options with a troubled frown marring his forehead.

“I’ll save you a spot in my team” he decides, nodding to himself dutifully. Chanyeol agrees easily and Chen bounds to the nearest group of children from their class, charming them with his best smile and leaving Chanyeol to struggle with his shoelaces. He tries to tie a knot as fast as he can with restless, clumsy fingers. _Bunny ears, loop, pull._ He gets it right the third time.

True to his word, Chen already has a spot in his team reserved for his best friend; the rest of the team don’t seem very happy to have him, but Chanyeol feels happy to join them, because he hasn’t been picked last this time. _This is the very first time, ever!_ A short girl who wears gigantic glasses is picked last instead; Chanyeol sends her a compassionate smile, knowing firsthand how disheartening it feels to be unwanted, but she wrinkles her nose at him, as if revolted.

The truth is, he’s unwanted all the time.

Any sour mood is easily forgotten when they start playing games, chasing after each other and exploring. Everyone loves field days, because they get to camp outside, away from the familiar, boring school walls and difficult lectures, and learn while running around excitedly and playing games instead. The entire school participates in the four annual fieldtrips; everyone’s favorite field day is the one in spring, because the surroundings are beautiful and welcoming –the entire class was sick for a week after their last winter excursion. But the older children don’t roam around in the valley like the younger ones do; they follow their teachers to the woods, the older they are the deeper they go, and Chanyeol is not sure what they learn there but it seems awesome. Every year he can’t wait for next year’s field days.

Staying in the safety of the beautiful sunlit field with his classmates, Chanyeol’s team wins almost every game, and they stop only for lunch. Chanyeol eats his sandwich seated on the grass next to Chen, the two friends sitting on the side and bickering playfully under the shade of a tree –sometimes too much sun makes Chanyeol feel tired and he needs to rest for a bit. Their teachers advise them to wait for an amount of time before resuming their games, so the children scatter and lounge on the grass, conversing animatedly and giggling, or quietly watching nature’s wonders and the blooming flowers.

Their teachers send Chen to a group of children who seem to be studying the grass, but Chanyeol is begrudgingly excused due to his sunlight sensitivity. He hates missing the fun, but he knows better than to argue with his teachers. He ventures out on his own soon enough though, scooting to the edge of the shade when no one is looking, and then crawling over to a lone purple flower, blooming nearby. It’s an anemone; he recognizes it from the pictures in their herbology book. He is busy examining the delicate petals and their vibrant color when something unexpectedly blocks the sun. It’s a shadow, but Chanyeol doesn’t have a shadow. Fearing it’s one of his teachers who has caught him disobeying their order to stay in the shade, he turns his head slowly, eyes wide and wary. He inwardly sighs in relief when he finds out that it’s not a teacher, just four of his classmates standing behind him.

“Hey Park!” one of them calls a little harshly, staring at him intently when he mouths Chanyeol’s surname as if it were an insult. They all have their arms crossed across their chests in a defensive way, a couple of them are frowning too, but Chanyeol is used to this. Hardly ever someone approaches him voluntarily, and when they do, it’s never with a smile.

“Hi” he whispers back with an unsure, cautious smile. These children are making him nervous with their intimidating stance, but he doesn’t want to be rude to them; deep down in his little heart, he’s always hoping that someone will ask to play with him and be friends. Chen is the only one who wants to play with him and be his friend. He is not used to talking to people.

“You’re dirty” the boy who called him before says, eyeing him in disdain. Everyone else does the same, wrinkling their nose and agreeing with not-so-subtle ‘ew’s. _So, they don’t want us to be friends then._ Chanyeol tries to shrink into himself in shame after their accusations, hiding his dirt-stained hands between his knees.

“It’s field day…” he argues weakly, blinking up at them. His pants have grass stains on the knees and his skin is dirtied with soil and sweat, his hair possibly has twigs in it since the earlier games and there is no way to hide everything that is amiss in his appearance; it’s a far cry from his proper and tidy look this morning. But he’s not the only one! Everyone gets dirty on field days, it’s part of the fun! Even those very children, who are looking at him so appalled in this moment, are dirty themselves –some even dirtier than Chanyeol. He doesn’t understand.

“He means on the inside” another boy clarifies, pointing at his own chest as further indication. Chanyeol’s eyes widen.

“I-I’m not…” he whines, his chest constricting in protest. He feels so sad; why would his classmates call him dirty on the inside? They don’t even know him. Chanyeol’s only solace, when people avoid him or say bad things to him, is that he is good on the inside. He tries very hard to be good on the inside, every day.

“Yes, you are; so unclean” a girl insists this time, wrinkling her nose in disgust and turning to the other girl. Chanyeol pleadingly looks into the children’s eyes, hoping to find a tiny proof that he’s not as ghastly as everyone seems to believe. But the eyes looking back at him are hard and cruel. His stomach drops.

“My mom says you’re a vampire” the first boy calls out loud, drawing the attention of a few stray children without groups nearby. Chanyeol bows his head in humiliation, biting his lip to conceal the pain. His fists are trembling at his sides full of regret, and he closes his eyes wishing that the boy’s words were a lie. If they weren’t true, he wouldn’t have to live this way. The silence stretches into seconds that feel too long and heavy in his heart. The boy starts tapping his foot impatiently. “Is it true?” he demands sternly.

“Only half…” Chanyeol lets out with a shaky breath. He knows he can’t hide the truth; everyone knows. His mother is seen as another elf in the crowd, seldom reminisced in stories about forbidden love, but her story is widely known, it’s been scandalizing the community for years, and everyone points a finger at Chanyeol; the hybrid child. That’s why Chanyeol needs to know he is good on the inside, no matter how bad his outside might be.

“You drink blood? You kill?” the girl who hadn’t spoken so far asks, her tone more desperate to know than accusing. She might be the only one who looks like she doesn’t want to believe all the bad things she hears about Chanyeol, but she is also the only one who looks so obviously afraid of him. Chanyeol tries to hold her gaze.

“No, never!” he says clearly, hoping she will believe him at least. The girl averts her gaze, still scared, and Chanyeol’s hope is crushed to slivers. It becomes difficult to hold back the tears that brim behind his eyes, his heart aching and his chest tightening in desperation.

He is half vampire, yes. But he doesn’t drink blood –that’s gross! Where would he find the blood in the first place? His mother cooks like all the other mothers and he eats like everyone else. And he doesn’t want to kill! He’d never hurt a fly. Elves are creatures that cherish life, they respect the balance in nature, they help and protect all beings. Just like the others, he thrives in the light of life from the universe, not in the shadows of death. He has never harmed anyone; but they’ll never believe him.

“But everybody knows vampires drink blood and kill! It’s so disgusting” one of the boys claims, and Chanyeol hides his face from them. All of them will never believe him. All of them think he is dirty.

“You are never going to drink _my_ blood, Park! I won’t let you!” the braver girl exclaims, stomping her foot imperatively. _I don’t want to drink your blood. I don’t want to hurt you, or anyone else_ , he wants to say, so that all the children gathered around can hear, but he chokes on his voice and only a sob comes out of his lips, his shoulders trembling.

“Or mine! I’ll hit you if you try!” someone threatens, and he doesn’t even know who; it doesn’t matter.

“You’re disgusting!”

“Never touch me again! You’re dirty!”

They keep yelling and yelling at him, they keep hurting him with their words and, unknowingly, they’re lighting a fire inside him, which hurts more than anything else. It’s begging to be let out, to char its way out of his chest and end this, but he squeezes his arms against himself and bites the cries behind his teeth. His head is spinning and his ears hurt, his cheeks are wet with the first tears and his thoughts keep spiraling down towards the terrifying abyss of his dreams. He doesn’t want to be here.

“I…I’m sorry…” he mumbles brokenly, pushing himself to stand on his feet. He doesn’t know what else to say, how to apologize for being what he is; but he doesn’t think anyone would care in any case. He wills his legs to move, to lead him away from this place. His eyesight is blurry with unhindered tears as he breaks into a run, his head is swimming, and he doesn’t know where he’s going. He just wants to get away from all the children calling him names and tainting his innocent soul, so he stumbles with all the might in his body, like a drowning man clutching at a straw.

He drifts into the woods at the fringe of the valley, step after step carrying him past greening shrubs and trees. He usually doesn’t dare go very far into the unfamiliar woods, the stories of residing monsters and evils recited from storybooks ringing in his ears clearly, but he doesn’t know how deep into the forest he’s already gone this time, too distraught to notice. He wipes his tears hastily and blinks at the unfamiliar surroundings, a tinge of fear mixing with his hurt and sadness. Taking a couple of deep breaths, he decides to climb up the tallest tree around, to hide in the protective embrace of its branches.

He finds a sturdy branch midway up the foliage and he settles there, curled close to the enormous tree trunk. He has always been good at climbing, but this time he got a few cuts on his hands from ascending, his mind too confused to pay close attention to the surface and texture of the bark. He barely feels them stinging, at least no more than his renewed brimming tears, because he feels so _abnormal_. No matter how much he tries to run away and hide, he is the same, unnatural child; Chanyeol holds his breath sorrowfully as his wounds heal before his eyes, his body regenerating the skin. _Unnatural._

There is nothing left for him to do, nothing to hope for, as he sits in the tree and the sun slips in little glimmers through the leaves. He cries silently, curled in a little ball, hiding his sobs behind his hands. He cries secretly, lest someone finds him, because maybe it’s better if he is lost. He cries alone, with nothing but the rough tree and shaking leaves to comfort him.

Chanyeol cries and cries, for everything mean his classmates said and for everything bad they think of him, or do. Chanyeol cries and cries, for everything he is and everything he is not, or cannot be. He cries and cries, for a father he never met and a burden too heavy for his little shoulders. Chanyeol is unwanted and unnatural, born blemished and cursed on the wrong side of the universe.

Chanyeol is everything he doesn’t want to be anymore.

The sun falls gently to a sunset, the vibrant colors of the sky hardly visible between the leaves and twigs. Chanyeol is still crying and sobbing, tucked in his little hideout. As twilight progresses, small animals start appearing, scampering around to and fro near their nests, returning for the night or starting their forest rounds. Chanyeol’s tears subside, most of his energy spent. The animals don’t come very close to him, no matter their destination and their path; Chanyeol loves animals but they are always afraid of him, and it takes a lot of effort to approach them. He doesn’t have enough spirit left in him to try, so he simply watches them minding their business for now.

When the night has unmistakably come and the forest is dark, he starts thinking of home –not the one he should return to soon, expecting a lengthy lecture from his mom, but the one he’d like to find someday, a home that will truly fit him. He doesn’t know what it might look like or where it might be, but he will know when he finds it from the way it will _feel_. The hope of tasting such a feeling is always in his heart, it makes him anticipate every new day and dream of a better future, it makes survival worth.

Chanyeol is almost drifting to sleep when his ears catch a suspicious, ruffling noise nearby. His eyes shoot open immediately, his senses alert; perhaps one of his teachers has come to take him back to his house, or maybe it’s another nocturnal animal, but what if it’s a… _monster?_

“H-hello?” he whispers, voice trembling. There is no reply and he doesn’t pick up on any other sound, hard as he may try. He gulps, his little heart fluttering. Maybe it was a trick of his imagination. Maybe it was an animal leaving the tree. He sits back tentatively and shrinks in apprehension, his fatigue forgotten and replaced by nervousness. If he is alone, like his mind and senses prove to him, how come he doesn’t _feel_ alone?

Long moments go by uneventfully, and Chanyeol is almost convinced to drop his vigilant stance, but then suddenly, the same rustling of leaves sounds again; and this time, it is closer. His heart throbs.

“W-who’s there? Who are you?” he demands, his voice louder and evidently nervous. He breaks into cold sweat, his senses trying to locate the intruder, but he can’t see, hear or smell anything! What sort of creature exists without evidence? _C-could it be a tree monster?_ Chanyeol bites his lip so hard his eyes tear up, his arms gripping his sides and his knees shaking in fear.

Chanyeol feels his heart leaping for his mouth when he hears the shuffling again, and this time it’s so close he can _see_ it, the leaves trembling over him in the darkness, not even a meter away. Whatever this creature is, it’s going to appear now, it’s going to land on the same branch, it’s going to drop out of the shadows, it’s going to come so close, it’s going to kill him and rip his heart-

“Stay away! Please don’t kill me! Ahhh!” his bloodcurdling scream echoes in the stillness of the forest, as he averts his face and covers his eyes with his hands. He doesn’t want to see a monster, he doesn’t want to die, he doesn’t want to become a tree, please, please, he’ll be a good boy!

But nothing happens. Chanyeol waits for something grossly horrible to happen at least, his body quivering all over, but there is nothing, as if whatever it was, travelling through the tree, has disappeared. He would have blamed it all on his imagination and his nightmares, had he not seen the leaves shaking with his own eyes. A creature was there for sure. But maybe it’s not anymore? Chanyeol’s limbs slowly stop shaking so much but his heart is still trembling in his chest like a leaf, as he braces himself, peals his hands away from his eyes and hesitantly chances a glance.

He is surprised but not spooked.

There is no monster standing in front of him, nothing terrible or frightening. His heartbeat regains its regular rhythm when his eyes settle on his nightly visitor. It’s a little boy, looking harmless, lost and just as scared as him. It’s not a boy he knows from the city. Chanyeol examines how the boy is balancing on the branch precariously, but still doesn’t dare to move closer, even though he had started benevolently approaching Chanyeol before the latter screamed bloody murder. The first twinge of remorse appears in Chanyeol’s heart.

The boy is small, smaller than Chanyeol and almost too pretty to be a boy. He has round cheeks and pouty pink lips. He is pale and thin, and that makes his big eyes stand out more; they are downturned at the corners, giving off a lasting impression of sadness, but they are also cute, like a puppy’s round, innocent eyes. He is dressed in simple white clothes, his black hair flopping across his forehead. The boy stands unmoving, frozen in fear and surprise, staring back at Chanyeol with a mix of hurt and apprehension in his eyes, which is almost unbearable.

Did Chanyeol do that? Did he make the boy sad, because he was so rude? He was only scared, he didn’t mean to! Chanyeol is good on the inside; he didn’t mean to. He feels the burning claws of guilt travelling down his spine. His experience and his nightmares have taught Chanyeol to live his life in constant fear of perishing from this world, one way or another. No one has ever tried to approach him, so he hadn’t even thought it would be possible for him to reject someone; _he_ is the one who is always rejected. It feels awful on both sides.

“Oh…hi” Chanyeol mumbles, slowly coming to his senses and relaxing his defensive posture, until he’s sitting unguarded in front of the unfamiliar child. In Chanyeol’s chastely innocent view of the world, a child is always pure and would never harm anyone, like freshly blooming flowers are always beautiful and their thorns are soft. His eyes examine the boy’s figure with open interest, even though the boy looks as regular as himself. In Chanyeol’s uncharacteristically cautious view of the world, things might not always be what they seem, like his very own existence confirms.

The boy eyes him warily and leans away, settling his weight back on his legs, as if keeping a safety distance. He looks torn, shyly lacing his fingers in his lap while staring back at Chanyeol, hesitant to cross the distance between them, even though he must have wanted to do so before Chanyeol yelled at him. Chanyeol’s heart bleeds with guilt.

“I’m sorry I yelled at you; I thought you were a tree monster” he admits, twiddling his fingers in embarrassment. He doesn’t want to look babyish and naïve –he’s a big boy of six years, after all– but he can’t lie to someone he has offended. His pride suffers a little bit, but he prefers that over a misunderstanding that will make the boy sad. For one fleeting moment, the resemblance to a kicked puppy fades from the boy’s features, and his black hair swipes out of his eyes as he tilts his head in confusion. He has very sparkly eyes. “Don’t you know of tree monsters?” Chanyeol gasps in surprise at his own guess, and his eyes widen further when the boy innocently shakes his head in reply. Oh no, he needs to warn the boy! “They are like mantis, but big, and they pierce your heart to make a tree with it. You should be careful if you live near the woods; little children shouldn’t wander here alone” he recites perfectly from memory what adults have been telling him since he was little –even though he’s technically still little. And, according to his own teachings, he shouldn’t be here any more than the boy should.

Chanyeol’s eyes fly around uneasily, hoping the next thing that stops by won’t be a tree monster. They are both little children, lost and defenseless in the woods; and the night suddenly seems particularly dark around them. The boy looks around after Chanyeol’s example, fearfully attending to the eerie fest of lively, clandestine escapades taking place in the nocturnal forest, before returning his timid, wide eyes to Chanyeol. Now, there is the same glint of uneasiness reflected in his eyes, that Chanyeol feels in his heart. The silent moments between them weigh heavily in their chests.

A shuffling, cracking sound of unidentified origin comes from the ground suddenly, and Chanyeol nearly jumps in fright; the boy flinches too, gripping the branch. Their childish, wide eyes search the muddled olive foliage underneath them for any signs of danger, but neither of them is inclined to recognize any such thing. Out of sight, out of mind; whatever danger might lurk in the woods, they don’t need to know about, as long as they don’t come across it.

“D-do you want to climb higher?” Chanyeol suggests, whispering breathlessly. His heart is pounding so hard in his chest that it feels like it’s about to burst. The boy seems to like their impromptu escape plan and he nods frantically in agreement, losing no time in reaching for the higher branches, in synchronicity with Chanyeol.

Chanyeol is a fast and agile climber for a six-year-old, but the boy is even faster, vanishing into the foliage effortlessly, weightlessly, with only little ruffling evidence left in his wake. Chanyeol is making a ruckus in comparison, as he struggles after the boy; he is utterly amazed and briefly considers the possibility of the boy belonging to a different species that takes after Chanyeol’s elven decent, but the climb becomes more challenging as the branches become thinner and less sturdy closer to the top, so he forgets all about his rightful suspicions. They don’t stop climbing until the leaves break apart to reveal the sky and there is no wood left to climb on.

“Whoa, you’re so fast” he pants in effort, hoisting himself up the last bendable, soft branches, until he breaks through the foliage. The boy is already there, sitting with his legs tucked around the branch securely in the empty space under his feet. He looks a little anxious at first, while he waits for Chanyeol to catch up, but his expression melts in relief when Chanyeol finally comes into view. The endearing concern doesn’t go unnoticed and it doesn’t fail to tug on Chanyeol’s heartstrings in unfamiliar ways; he had never thought a stranger boy would show more worry for him than any other familiar person in his entire life. Chanyeol smiles, bashful of this warm feeling brewing in his chest, and shuffles to sit next to him, no longer reserved.

Unknowingly to them both, this boy has secured a place so close to Chanyeol’s heart that he may never be rooted out.

“Wow, everything looks so pretty from here!” Chanyeol gasps in awe, admiring the view from their high and mighty post. The forest trees rustle in the breeze, and their leaves look like waves as the moonlight and shadows wash over them in rhythmic intervals. Beyond the woods, the valley stretches like a silver platter, and the city looks like it’s floating over it, its stone walls and tiled rooftops, its gardens and markets, all shining beautifully with matching candle flames. The mountains look like a violet shadow in the distance, and the sky springs from their cradle, like the finest blue velvet, dotted with silver sparkles.

The moon is shining far into the west, full, with grey swirls and glimmering dust. Chanyeol can see the Serpent; a large, dragon-like snake, that loops around the moon and naps there every night. It looks delicate and luminous like the moon, made of silver and diamonds, silent and indifferent to earthly matters. On cloudy nights, it becomes restless and rotates on the fringe of the moon endlessly; Chanyeol doesn’t know what it means. But on clear nights like this one, the Serpent merely sleeps, rarely steering in its dreams.

At the sight of the Serpent, Chanyeol feels a little safer and assured, even when he’s helplessly lost in the forest at night. _Serpent, look! I met someone new!_ He loosely smiles up at the only constant in his life, his only companion, whom no one else can ever see. Unaware of the Serpent in the sky, they called him a liar when he first spoke of it, so he has never mentioned it since; Chanyeol’s eyes are perceptive to many unnamed things in the world. Even at the tender age of six, Chanyeol knows that some minds and some eyes are intended to forever remain oblivious; but to his mind, to his eyes, the Serpent brings a unique solace.

Chanyeol momentarily glances at the boy, wondering if he can see it too. Wouldn’t that be fascinatingly unusual? Surprisingly, the boy is looking at the sky too, but not in the direction of the moon; he’s staring at the stars abovehead, eyes wandering and mapping out the sky. He is completely immersed in his stargazing, and he looks so serene, a small smile playing on his lips. Chanyeol can’t help but feel like he’s witnessing something very personal and intimate, as if the boy is greeting old friends, diligently discerning and naming them one by one. The stars reflect in his eyes like silver twinkling dust, and in this moment, the boy might be the most beautiful thing Chanyeol has ever seen.

“You like the sky?” he asks the boy hesitantly, wondering to himself about the unanticipated, swift fluttering of his heart; he’s never had heart problems before… The boy’s trance is broken by Chanyeol’s quiet voice and he blinks, turning to flash a small grin at Chanyeol before looking back to the sky.

“Star” he says in a small voice, extending a soft, pale arm to point at the millions of scattered, radiant celestial objects with his tiny finger. He says that one word with such longing, admiration and affection, like it’s everything he knows, everything he loves in the world, and yet it’s so out of reach; it makes Chanyeol’s chest tighten uncomfortably with a melancholy that doesn’t belong to him.

“I like the stars, too” he says gently, and it’s like he has unlocked the chest containing all the light of the world, when the boy looks at him and smiles so dazzlingly, his eyes turning into half-moon crescents. Chanyeol sways his legs shyly and smiles back at the boy, the tips of his ears burning red. He doesn’t know why the boy is suddenly so happy with him, but he knows why he feels so happy himself; it’s the first time anyone has smiled at Chanyeol so unguardedly, has looked at him with no repulsion, has been so openly gleeful to be with him. It seems the boy likes him, for indefinite reasons, and poor Chanyeol doesn’t know how to cope with so many feelings of affection circling his heart.

He pinks when his heart thuds audibly, unused to his body’s jittery reaction and the boy’s attention.

“Look, that’s my city” he changes the subject, pointing at the steady lights shining in the dark, too far and yet not close enough. It’s a home that never felt like home, but still very familiar. The boy takes an interest instantly, his gaze glued to the city in the distance, while he listens with fascination everything Chanyeol gushes about his birthplace. “I live there, where the gardens are. It’s very beautiful and peaceful in the mornings. There’s a house with yellow tiles, where my best friend Chen lives, and then there is one with orange tiles, and mine has brown tiles, but the neighbor’s house is new and they put red tiles. We all have gardens, since we’re closer to the valley and outside the city centre, and I have a flowerpot, but it hasn’t bloomed yet” Chanyeol presses his lips thoughtfully and shrugs his shoulders. There’s still a lot of spring ahead, he is sure his flower will bloom. It was a birthday present and he is taking good care of it; all children learn how to tend to flowers.

The boy nods solemnly, trying to encourage Chanyeol. He looks so engrossed with Chanyeol’s babblings, as if there is something precious to be learnt from them, as if Chanyeol is showing him the entire world.

Chanyeol points further away, where the streetlights ascent the hill in a flowing, twinkling line. “The upper city is over there; you can go there if you follow the main road. It’s a pretty place, but the markets are more exciting; they sell many trinkets and funny toys” he giggles, remembering the last time he sneaked in a market with Chen. No one suspected them and it was so much fun; they explored all the wooden toys and their small mechanisms, and they asked a million questions, but they couldn’t buy anything in the end, because their pocket money, even combined, was not enough.

Chanyeol wonders what sort of toys the boy who likes the stars would like, if he’d stare at the fairy lights which hang over the street markets after sunset like he stares at the stars, if he’d like the flower stalls and if he would say good morning to his flowerpot like Chanyeol does. What would it be like to be friends and live close to each other and spend their days together?

Chanyeol belatedly realizes he has been the only one to speak this evening; the boy hasn’t spoken at all. The only sound in his breath has been the word ‘star’. Ever since then, he’s been simply nodding along, listening to Chanyeol with great concentration, as if he’s reciting a prayer. Chanyeol really wants to be friends, but he knows nothing about the boy.

“I’m rambling, right?” he chuckles awkwardly, rubbing his neck. The boy doesn’t seem to mind and he shakes his head, smiling brighter in response, to show he is enjoying himself. Chanyeol hesitates for a moment, thinking that maybe he should keep talking if that makes the boy happy –because _oh_ , his heart summersaults when the boy is happy–, but he decides otherwise. “Tell me something about you, too” Chanyeol prompts him with a friendly smile, hoping to find out more things about his new friend. The boy only blinks at him curiously, and Chanyeol hesitates again.

Maybe ‘star’ is all he needs to know.

“Where are you from? Why are you here alone? Where are your shoes? What are you?” the questions pour out of his lips before he has time to think them, because he would really like to know, like all children do. The boy blinks again, the smile vanishing from his lips, giving way to a confused pout. He glances left and right, a little upset, and Chanyeol can tell he is uncomfortable; he uselessly wishes he could take all his questions back now, because he’d rather have one of the boy’s smiles than the answers to all the questions in the world.

The boy’s eyes gaze into Chanyeol’s eyes, and he looks so small and lost, a bit frantic and very nervous, because he seems to have no answer for any of Chanyeol’s queries. He looks like he’s about to cry, helpless and sad for unavoidably disappointing Chanyeol; but Chanyeol doesn’t want to see him cry, he would never forgive himself! The boy looks adorable, with wobbling lips and misty eyes, breaking Chanyeol’s heart. So, Chanyeol decides to take action.

“You’re pretty” he blurts out, feeling a little embarrassed afterwards, but well, it’s been said and it’s true. The boy’s eyes widen in surprise –at least he doesn’t look so sad anymore. Chanyeol takes the chance to lean closer and observe the boy; he has strange eyes, but they’re still remarkably pretty. His button nose is cute too, dusted with a pink flush that spreads all over his squishy cheeks. The boy lowers his face self-consciously and blinks up at Chanyeol through his eyelashes, fingers toying in his lap to distract himself from his shyness. Chanyeol is blushing too, but his lips stretch in an unexpected grin; he thinks he’s oddly proud to see the boy acting so cutely because of something nice he said. He could say many nice things to him.

“Where is your home? Do you have a family?” he tries again. If he doesn’t know where the boy lives and where he comes from, will he ever be able to find him again?

The boy’s eyes grow round and twinkling, and he opens his lips; for a moment, Chanyeol thinks he’s going to say something, his hopes soaring beyond his control. But in the end, the boy sighs and shakes his head, deflating dejectedly. Chanyeol deflates as well.

“It’s okay” he mumbles, lowering his gaze from the apologetic pout the boy is wearing on his pretty features. He guesses the boy can’t tell him much; maybe he is not allowed to, or maybe he doesn’t have a family, which would be very sad. He must have his reasons. Chanyeol respects that, because he has secrets too; he can’t hold it against the boy. He pats the boy’s small back comfortingly, sharing the looming feeling that they won’t see each other again after tonight. They both look like the most disappointed people under the stars.

“Family is nice” Chanyeol starts talking again, to fill the depressing silence “but I only have my mom. She works a lot; she doesn’t really see me. Friends are nice too; but I don’t have very many” Chanyeol recounts, pouting on the verge of tears, and he’s not sure why anymore.

Chanyeol is always alone. He has his mother and Chen, but he is still alone because they don’t touch his heart. His mother doesn’t look at him in the eyes, like he has seen other mothers look at their children at school, and she hardly ever touches him. His only friend is Chen, but sometimes Chanyeol feels bad that other children pick on his friend because of him, so he tries to play with him secretly. The bonds are superficial and because of that, no matter where he is, Chanyeol is _alone_.

“Other children think I’m not nice. They think I’m dirty and disgusting” he hiccups, hot tears streaming down his face as the wound from earlier today reopens in his heart. How will he ever be happy, if he can’t reach out to anyone and no one ever reaches out to him?

Unexpectedly, the boy is in front of him in an instant, clumsily shifting on the branch and trying to balance in Chanyeol’s lap, doing everything he can to get closer for his purposes as fast as he can. His tiny hands frantically wipe away Chanyeol’s tears, wide eyes trembling and small lips gasping in horror. He looks alarmed and worried for Chanyeol, he looks like he _cares_.

Chanyeol sniffles and helps wipe away his tears in a daze, until they are all gone from his skin, even though they still linger on his lashes. He ends up a snotty mess with red, puffy eyes, but the boy looks so relieved he’s not crying anymore, as if the world has barely been saved. The boy sighs in relief, and then gives Chanyeol a serious look. Chanyeol sobers up a bit.

Then the boy places his hands over Chanyeol’s large ears, cupping them with his little palms and pressing them to his head, sealing them tightly from sound, while giving Chanyeol a firm, determined look. No words are exchanged but Chanyeol understands perfectly what the boy is trying to tell him.

_Don’t listen to them._

It’s a small gesture, childish and symbolic at best, but it’s the most anyone has ever done for Chanyeol, and it means the world to him. The boy’s eyes soften, and he’s trying to say something else that Chanyeol doesn’t understand this time, but he brings his own hands over the boy’s anyway. His heart is overflowing with affection and gratitude, so many warm feelings connecting him to the boy, that his eyes nearly well up with new tears.

“You’re really nice” he ekes out of his lips with effort, feeling like his heart might fly out of his mouth too. The boy’s shoulders relax and his hold loosens, knowing that Chanyeol understands. His expression slips into a gentle smile, and he’s so sweet and soft in that moment, that Chanyeol can’t hold back; he lurches forward, crossing the small distance between them and hugging the boy really tight against him.

The boy freezes in surprise from the sudden proximity, but Chanyeol only holds him tighter, silently thanking him for everything, even for things he doesn’t have words for. Soon, the boy melts in his arms and squeezes him back, more firmly than Chanyeol thought he could. And they stay like that for a while longer. Chanyeol doesn’t want to let go; it’s the first time someone hugs him so wholeheartedly. The boy doesn’t let go either, holding onto him with everything he has. When they pull away from each other, it’s reluctant but they’re both smiling happily, ears bright red and hearts so close.

“I have to go home now. You should go home too” Chanyeol whispers, looking at the deep color of the dark sky. The boy looks around curiously, glancing up at the stars before looking at Chanyeol again, with a slight pout on his lips. Maybe the boy doesn’t want to leave because he’s afraid of waking in the woods at night and his home is far away. “I can take you, if you’re afraid” Chanyeol offers, glancing at the woods warily. He could walk half the distance with him, if the boy is scared of the dark; Chanyeol can see and sense in the dark. He’s only afraid of tree monsters.

But the boy shakes his head adamantly at Chanyeol’s proposition, looking at Chanyeol like the bravest puppy yet, a proper adventurous explorer. It brings a smile on Chanyeol’s lips.

So, he has to say goodbye now.

“I hope to see you again” he says, his voice coming out soft and quiet. Maybe he will, maybe he won’t; he will have to trust the stars with this wish. His heart flutters in his chest, in a way that isn’t entirely unpleasant, as he leans forward and pecks the boy’s bouncy cheek, as a goodbye kiss. The boy blinks at him in a daze when Chanyeol pulls away, and that only makes Chanyeol’s shy blush glow more prominently before he hastily and clumsily makes his escape, climbing down the tree.

He risks one more glance, however, when he’s a few branches lower, catching a last, very wide smile on the boy’s face.

~~~

The alarm rings furiously, piercing Chanyeol’s sensitive hearing and successfully rousing him from sleep with the most bitter mood possible. A spindly arm ventures out of the covers, blindly searching for the irritating noisy culprit, while his other hand clutches the covers over his head; the room is cold and the alarm clock ends up knocked to the floor, silent. The pitter patter of the rain against the walls and roof tiles lulls him to a light sleep against his pillow; not five minutes later, however, his mother comes to replace the clock, insistently nudging him awake.

“But it’s Sunday…” he complains, voice cracking. He doesn’t want to leave his warm house and his comfortable bed for the cold rain and misty streets of the city outside. The sixteen-year-old finds it difficult the most to part with his bed on Sundays; it’s the day everyone is allowed to sleep in a little, be a tad bit lazy and rest –they certainly don’t deserve to be ruthlessly woken up at five a.m., literally before the crack of dawn. For five weeks in a row.

“You have a shift today, remember?” his mother answers readily, opening his window out of habit; instead of sunlight, cold air and the smell of petrichor permeate the room, but she doesn’t hesitate to leave it wide open –it’s been a long time since she last worried about his health. He hisses, trying to find comfort in his still warm cocoon of bedcovers, but those too, are soon pulled away. Chanyeol whines and buries his face in the pillow. _Is there no mercy?_ “You have to get ready, you shouldn’t be late to work” she chastises and finally leaves the room, footsteps heading to the kitchen, presumably to make breakfast. She is used to getting up early after all the years of practice she has had for work, but the same can’t be said for the gangly teenager, currently mourning the loss of his valuable sleep.

Chanyeol stubbornly pulls the covers over his body again, but they have grown cold and he groans miserably, tossing them back. He gets out of bed with a grunt, futilely rubbing the sleep from his bloodshot eyes. He shuffles to the window, closing it and drawing the curtains to block a fraction of the cold. He reaches for his clothes blindly, shimming out of his nightgown and trying to change into them quickly; he manages to put his shirt inside-out and hit his arm on the bedpost –typical. With a sigh, he runs his fingers through his hair, pretending he has combed it, and searches for his shoes and socks under the bed.

Puberty has not been kind to Chanyeol. He’s growing in awkward spurts, changing too fast too much. Most of his clothes are a few inches shorter than they should be and he doesn’t have time or the money to replace them –he’d need new ones too soon anyway. His body stretches taller and becomes thinner, sometimes leaving the impression of his bones to the beholder. The changes and lack of sleep leave him feeling constantly tired, his bones aching as if a train has run him over. His voice doesn’t cooperate on most days, cracking, squeaking, muting altogether, or sometimes coming out so deep, that even his own ears have difficulty recognizing it. But those are changes any teenager might experience, more or less.

For Chanyeol, there are other sorts of changes that his body undergoes at the same time, changes that relate to his condemned half. Many constantly assume that he’s sick because of the paleness that has started spreading under his skin, which itches on good days and burns invisibly on most days. His eyes glow more red than they used to when he was still a child, looking eerie and malicious, sometimes glowing visibly in the dark. His fangs have started growing out, often hurting his lip and making his gums bleed, but they’re mostly making everyone who looks at him uncomfortable. His senses have become disjointed and unpredictable, sometimes sensing more than average, other times so perceptive that they become painful, all jumbled and out of control. He feels uncomfortable living in this body.

But the thing Chanyeol hates the most is the _thirst_. It never leaves him, manifesting so much on some days that it makes him feel sick. It’s like a shimmering, dry, burning sensation in his throat that he can’t cough out, and if he tries to soothe it with warm beverages and sweets, it kicks his other senses like a capricious child, heightening his sense of smell and making him synch to every heartbeat in vicinity, his mouth watering lewdly. He still denies it, staying true to his vow since his younger days, to never feel the need or lust for it. No matter how many rivers of water he might drink, however, and how much he doesn’t want to think about it, the thirst doesn’t relent; his body needs something else to quench this thirst and it won’t rest until he gets it.

On this fine morning, he does his best to get ready, but he ends up running late _again_ , so he chugs down a glass of orange juice for breakfast and grabs an apple for later, bidding his mother goodbye with a wave over his shoulder and barely remembering to take his umbrella with him before he heads out the door. The streets are sleek from the earlier rainfall but the rain has subsided to misty light raindrops which are harmless to pedestrians. There is no need for an umbrella, so Chanyeol ends up idly swinging it beside him as he walks. The whispery noise the water drops make as they travel through the air still tickles his oversensitive ears, but he tries to ignore it, valiantly marching forward.

The familiar walk to the bakery is uneventful, the streets still quiet, since most people are sleeping at this hour. The sunrise is no more than a vague orange color illuminating behind the grey storm clouds eastward, painting a slightly depressive and gloomy picture on the grey canvas, with the unlit city lying underneath it. He tugs his jacket over his chest like a shield against the loneliness wandering the streets, and turns the corner to the bakery, where he works part-time with his friend, Chen. It’s a job they both need to chip in to the family income; it’s not always easy to bear with the idiosyncratic baker they work for, but being together makes it a little fun.

He and Chen have been friends since childhood –the short elf with sharp eyes and a kittenish smile is Chanyeol’s only friend. They’re not classmates anymore, since Chanyeol is either banned or tutored separately for most of the classes at school, but they still get together for mischief every once in a while, they share their lunch, their workload and complaints about everything and anything during their evenings. Chen is kind and understanding, a little impatient but considerate; he’s the only one in this town who has made an effort to know Chanyeol, the only one who treats him equally and makes him feel like he’s worth the air he’s breathing. Chen doesn’t want to hear how much he means to him, but Chanyeol is always grateful.

Right after Chanyeol walks through the gates of the backyard to the bakery, Chen comes out with sluggish steps, leaning on his bike. The bike has a basket, piled with pastries, bread and other goods, covered with the standard blue cloth of the bakery’s brand. Smoke is coming out of the chimney from the ovens, joining the grey morning sky, and the sweet scent of food is wafting in the air, making Chanyeol drool into his mouth, his empty stomach growling.

“Good morning” he greets his overworked and sleepy friend. It takes a moment for Chen to realize the greeting, and he lifts his drowsy gaze to look at Chanyeol, his eyebrows doing that expression that makes him look pitiful. He is scrawny and shorter than Chanyeol, but unlike Chanyeol, Chen will be able to strengthen his body and change into a handsome young man in the future, whilst Chanyeol is doomed to bear whatever genes have been passed down to him unchanging for the years to come. For now, a messy mop of hair and a sleepy smile greet Chanyeol.

“Morning, man” Chen wheezes, yawning widely while scratching his arm under his untidy clothes, shirt only half-tucked in, mismatched shocks, haphazardly tied shoes and a lopsided jacket collar. He has always been so messy, it’s a miracle his senses are so sharp and his mind so organized; he’s smart and fast, even if he isn’t as strong or perceptive as Chanyeol. The latter’s oversensitive nature wouldn’t have survived the onslaught of sensory inputs Chen lives with every day with so much chaos surrounding him by choice. Chanyeol smiles at the consistently raggedly charming sight of his childhood friend –the only person he really ever smiles for. His canines and many teeth showing behind his lips make everyone else avert their eyes in disgust or fear; Chen is the only one who doesn’t flinch away from Chanyeol’s smile. Even his mother averts her eyes, even though she does so for different reasons.

“Where are you off to?” Chanyeol asks with a tiny nod to the basket and the bike. His own bike is surely waiting, loaded with freshly baked goods and leaning on the wall inside the bakery; the bikes were a holiday bonus from their boss, but they’re allowed to ride them only for work, to deliver the goods faster all over the city. The novelty was soon lost and replaced by a tiring routine.

“The upper city, as always” Chen shrugs his shoulders and yawns widely once more. Chanyeol frowns in concern; will his friend make it to the upper city unscathed in his sleepy state? The city is built on a hill and the roads to the upper city can get steeper than the rest, but they’re also better paved and well-lit. Chanyeol usually delivers around the lower, more complicated parts of the city, and for all his sharp senses, he has crushed onto a few walls and fences, but those roads have grown familiar by now, all the shortcuts and alleyways and uneven pebbles he’s ridden over countless of times in the early morning. Chen scrunches his nose in complaint, his eyebrows resuming their signature pitiful expression –Chen always complains, but it’s kind of endearing. “Why do I always get the upper city? It’s so far away, I’m not awake enough to handle it!”

“You’re faster than me” Chanyeol lies, trying to lift his friend’s spirits; they both know Chanyeol is faster if he wants to be, due to his predator genes, but they both have been agreeing on this lie for years, to avoid another hurtful conversation.

The reason Chen always gets the deliveries for the upper city and Chanyeol gets the long distances everywhere else, is because their boss doesn’t want Chanyeol representing his store in the upper city houses. Neither do the upper city houses want Chanyeol inside them. He is a blemish, a disgrace to the cohesive and homogenous society of centuries, and no one, especially the favored and powerful, would want to associate themselves with him, they wouldn’t even want to know of his existence. Everybody knows but nobody tells, and Chanyeol has to be thankful he even has this job at all.

“Yeah, yeah” Chen dismisses, swinging a leg over the bike and getting comfortable on the saddle. He looks a little more awake, with a dutiful glint in his eye –he might look a bit untidy but he’s the most responsible person Chanyeol knows. “Let’s meet back here for breakfast later, ‘kay?” he suggests, lightly slapping Chanyeol’s arm before he grabs the handles. Chanyeol’s stomach growls audibly, but there is no room for embarrassment between equally famished, true friends, when it’s technically not even morning yet.

“Sure” he agrees, exchanging fleeting smiles with his friend before Chen takes off on his bike, steering it out of the backyard. One perk of working at the bakery is that they get free food, at least for breakfast and lunch, if they behave. The boss is a bit tight, but Chen has smooth moves he can use to his advantage –and Chanyeol’s, by association on this matter.

Chanyeol speeds away from the bakery to the voice of his boss shouting he’d better hurry. There is no other option but to hurry, in all honesty, because the first round of deliveries today is on the other side of town and he’ll have to race the dawn, if he hopes to make good time and get a few tips from satisfied customers. His second round will be houses and shops closer to the bakery, and maybe he’ll get a thankful pat on the hand by the blind old lady who lives three streets down the store. She can’t see what he is, so she is always nice to him; she says he is her favorite, because the other one, Chen, talks too much. Chanyeol can relate to that.

The roads are empty so early on a Sunday, so he is able to race down all paths unhindered. It’s a close call with a bucket, forgotten in the middle of the road, but he swerves his bike last minute and the goods he is carrying stay intact. The only downside is that his turn gets him off his original path and he has to take a detour; thankfully the sun is rising slowly, and there is just a little bit of light to help him through the narrow, uneven corners. He’s pedaling fast, crossing the last bit back to the main road, when he suddenly has to stop again, his breaks screeching and the wheels stuttering against the stones. His basket jostles dangerously, but all he can think of is his relief for stopping in time not to hit the little girl.

She appeared out of thin air, turning the corner on the other end of this alley, skipping her steps happily, just as Chanyeol was about to dash the last few meters back to the main road. She’s small and delicately made, with childish features and a head of flowing honey ringlets. She halts her steps when she sees and hears Chanyeol’s bike whining to a stop, finding herself face to face with him.

They stare at each other wide-eyed and silent, as the initial shock sinks in on both sides. In addition to her abrupt appearance, Chanyeol finds it unusual and inappropriate for a little child to be roaming the streets outside this early, unsupervised and underdressed for the weather. She’s only wearing a pink dress, too thin to shield her from the cold, and she’s not carrying an umbrella, or at least a coat. Chanyeol watches her small form, frozen and stunned, and he feels bad for her.

“Hi” he calls tenderly, climbing off his bike to look less intimidating; he keeps his smile to himself lest his fangs scare her –it has happened before. The little girl’s eyes widen impossibly in surprise; they look a little green over her pink cheeks, her little lips gaping adorably. “Are you lost?” he asks. He shouldn’t delay but he can’t leave a little girl, lost and alone in the empty streets without even a scarf to keep her warm. He is usually excluded from the care the community shows mutually among its members, but he feels the same obligation to help and protect his fellow members, even if they consistently neglect him.

She shakes her head slowly in return, indicating she’s not lost, examining Chanyeol cautiously and very curiously. She doesn’t look appalled or scared, like people usually do; she looks confused, inquisitive, amused. A small smile is dancing from her cheeks to her eyes, her lips quirking shyly. Then, her eyes fall from Chanyeol’s face to the basket on his bike, and they stay pinned there, glazed, her small tongue licking her lips hungrily.

“Are you hungry?” he asks, noticing her stare. If she lives on the streets or with a poor family, it wouldn’t be surprising. She nods her head eagerly, looking deep into his eyes and licking her lips again. Chanyeol slants his mouth thoughtfully for a moment; he is carrying so much food but his boss will kill him and then fire him if any delivery is short on goods, everything is accounted for. “I can’t give you any of these, they don’t belong to me. But I might have…” he rummages through his bag, remembering something from earlier this morning, when he was leaving home. He can eat something later at the bakery with Chen, so he takes out the apple and offers it to her. “Here, do you like apples?”

A wide smile and furious nodding answer him, and a smile escapes him. She is cute. He hands the apple to her small, awaiting hands, and she looks up at him, smiling with all her white teeth to thank him. Only then does he realize he’s smiling too, and he seals his lips quickly, to hide his scary teeth, but she doesn’t seem to have minded, taking a big bite of the apple and munching on it, still smiling at him. Feeling stunned, Chanyeol allows himself a moment to enjoy this rare and precious smile, because he hardly ever causes someone to smile.

“I have to go” he announces then with a startle, quickly riding his bike again. The little girl looks at him questioningly, but steps aside, watching him innocently as he hops on the saddle. He waves goodbye and she waves back, tilting her head with a pretty smile, the apple resting in her other hand. “Get somewhere warm before it starts to rain again, okay?” he calls over his shoulder as he pedals out of the alley, and she waves excitedly for a bit, before turning around and skipping down the path she had been heading to originally, disappearing out of sight when Chanyeol hits the main road.

~~~

Chanyeol wakes up and it’s still dark outside, as usual. The layer of snow covering the city outside absorbs every sound, creating a silent, tranquil ambiance, as if only the stars in the sky are alive. The cold soaks through the walls and mixes with the darkness, creating a dangerous mixture that slowly drips down on unsuspecting, sleeping families. It’s not an easy winter this year.

He rubs his weary eyes and lifts himself off the pillow with a sigh, cold air biting his skin when the covers fall off. He regulates his temperature easily to keep his body warm, but the freezing caress still feels unpleasant on his skin. He pushes the blankets away, whining quietly when his bare feet touch the hardwood floor, but he embraces the cruel reality of winter mornings and silently shuffles to make his bed, straightening the covers. His feet then take him to the bathroom, soundlessly padding across wood, and he only makes one stop to check on his sleeping mother on his way. She is breathing deeply under the covers, fast asleep; he drapes one more blanket over her shivering form, and leaves her room.

His bathroom routine has been the same for years now, and his body follows it mechanically while his brain is still drowsy. He feels a little more awake when he comes out of the bathroom, freshly washed and presentable. He revives the fire in the fireplace with a wave of his hand, before returning to his room and changing into his warmest clothes for the day, contemplating on making breakfast, but he decides against it; anything he makes will turn cold before his mother wakes. He checks the fireplace one last time on his way out, adjusting the heat in hopes of warming up the house by the time his mother wakes up, and he grabs his lunch bag from the kitchen, slipping into his shoes and coat before heading out the door.

The heavy snowfall of the past few days has subsided to cloudless frigid skies and occasional whirls of new snowflakes. The white veil of snow has settled everywhere, creating white fluffy heaps on the sides of the road and on window ledges; these urbane mountains of snow sometimes reach as high as Chanyeol’s knee. The ice has formed crystal daggers dripping from sharp edges, and a spidery layer has covered the trees. There are barely discernible paths on the roads, where the snow and ice had been stomped down yesterday, but they will have to be shoveled anew. The day is fairly cold and still dark, but Chanyeol is used to it.

He treads the familiar road to work, accompanied by the sound of snow crunching under his shoes. He leaves a very light trail of footsteps on the snow –some children believe a ghost walks the streets at night. It’s a naïve legend, like the ones he used to believe when he was a child too, but it’s also a little sad; these children will never imagine or understand how Chanyeol is different from everyone else in town, who leaves a heavy indentation in the snow with each step. Everyone knows Chanyeol is different, but no one _wants_ to know. So they forget, even if it hurts him. Chanyeol shakes his head and tugs his scarf higher to his nose; some minds will never know there are no ghosts walking in the city, and some eyes will never see the many other fascinating and unusual things that _do_ walk the city streets.

One of them has just popped up beside him, in fact, appearing without warning like she always does. It’s been a decade since he first saw her in an alley on a rainy morning and gave her an apple, and they’ve been friends ever since. She finds him every morning before the dawn, and they share the familiar route to the bakery; she likes walking beside him, listening to him rambling about anything, or she entertains herself by skipping around him when the seasons are sunnier. She has become a daily fixture in his life over the years, her kind presence bringing him a little joy and sunshine to make it through the day. Their companionship on early mornings has created an unusual friendship between them.

“Good morning” he greets the little girl after they walk a few quiet steps, and she smiles up at him in response, flashing all her little teeth; she’s always so happy when he acknowledges her. Chanyeol is convinced by now that he is the only one who sees her and reaches out to her. She wouldn’t be the only exception for Chanyeol’s unconventional, perceptive eyes. She never speaks a word, but she doesn’t need to; she has a very expressive face and she adds gestures sometimes, if she wants. She seems to like Chanyeol, and he likes her too.

In spite of looking so cutely childish, she is perhaps the strangest girl Chanyeol has ever met; but she doesn’t share many things about herself, her origin and identity remaining as mysterious as they were on the first day he met her. For all the years he’s known her, Chanyeol is still not sure of _what_ she is. She doesn’t age and she doesn’t have a shadow, she doesn’t leave footprints, not even on snow like he does. He’s only seen her around in the early hours of the morning, when no one else is out of bed yet, and he assumes she’s heading to the upper city after she leaves him at the bakery, but he can’t be sure. She can’t be an elf and she is not like him either; but it doesn’t really matter. She is sweet and innocent, regardless of her species, and she is perhaps Chanyeol’s closest friend.

They are silent today, respecting the effort the snow is making all around them. Chanyeol hides his smiles behind his scarf every time he steals glances at her; she is just so cute. She walks with proud little steps, a bit hurried to keep up with his long legs, her ringlets bouncing around her face and down her back. Her nose is red from the cold but she keeps it high in the air, as if she’s trying to see the dawn behind the horizon before it reaches the sky. They reach the bakery before the dawn has time to catch up.

Chanyeol stops in front of the shop’s door as usual, and she jumps in front of him, lacing her hands behind her back and straightening her posture like a good soldier. She looks up at him with a wide smile, expecting her daily treat; she is always hungry, so Chanyeol makes sure to bring food for her from home every morning. Her eyes glance to Chanyeol’s hands as he opens his bag slowly, and she is almost bouncing on her heels in anticipation.

“Let me see” he croons animatedly, secretly smiling at her struggle to stay still in spite of her impatience. She perks up when his hand disappears in the bag, big green eyes rounding in innocent expectation. “Today we have…apple pie!” he announces grandly, taking out the wrapped pie he packed for her last night. She jumps in joy when her eyes see it, her smile so bright and pretty it could rival the rising sun. He hands the pie over to her awaiting hands, and she starts nibbling on it instantly, greedily stuffing her cheeks. “Slow down, you should chew your food properly” he reminds her for the umpteenth time; she smiles at him apologetically and chews more slowly. His concerned frown turns into a carefree smile. “You like apples, don’t you…” he muses and she nods excitedly, her cheeks still full and her eyes comically wide.

“Be a good girl, okay?” he says, accepting back the empty towel that once contained the pie. She nods dutifully once and grins, pointing at her thick, red coat with pride. He told her to wear one a few days ago, when the temperature dramatically dropped, and she complied right away. He smiles and nods approvingly; he would pat her hair, but they never touch each other, as if it’s an unspoken rule between them. She flashes one last, grand smile and then she waves at him, turning around to continue her way. Chanyeol waves goodbye and waits, leaning on the shop’s locked door, waving at her energetically whenever she stops and turns around to look at him with a smile while she covers the distance, till she’s too far to be seen.

He unlocks the door and starts with the routine cleaning chores inside the shop, his things tucked away in a corner at the back. He is the one to open and prepare the business every morning, tidying up the displays, heating the ovens, mixing dough and kneading the first loaves of bread. He’s been working here for so many years, he knows his way around everything there is to know about this business, and the owner reluctantly trusts him –even though he’d never admit it. He is the only employee, has been for years, because there is no need for more hands if Chanyeol works on deck, and the owner is inherently stingy with money. He is many more unpleasant things, actually, and maybe that’s also part of the reason they don’t have more employees; the owner is grouchy, loud, strict and authoritary at best. Not many people are willing to put up with that for a standard, unimpressive payroll. Chen bailed years ago, as soon as he got the opportunity to work with the caravans.

But Chanyeol likes working at the bakery, not so much for the place, certainly not for his boss or his monthly salary, but because he enjoys the work. To be completely honest, there are not many other places that would hire Chanyeol, since everyone is predisposedly averse to him. This job also makes him feel a little better about himself, because it’s one of the very few ways he is allowed to offer his services to society; it’s difficult to live in a world where giving is more vital than taking, but you are the only person who can’t give, because nobody wants to take anything from _you_. Moreover, Chanyeol is _good_ at this, he is a good baker. His hands are fast and warm, his sense of smell is excellent, and he has a talent for manipulating fire, which comes pretty handy with the ovens.

The morning is spent somewhere between the front store and the back kitchen, serving customers, sending dozens of batches into the oven, delivering goods and baking. All under the customary symphony of his boss’s complaints, customer calls, vivacious chatter and the wheezing of the fire. Especially during the overbearing rush hour, he has to put conscious effort into blocking unnecessary stimuli from his mind, opting to focus on the calming whispers of smoke inside the ovens to keep his senses in control.

“Your order, madam” Chanyeol finishes packing the old woman’s purchases, manning the front counter during the daily heavy influx of customers –he’s fast and reliable, and his boss thinks he looks charming enough to convince the crowd for one more purchase of goods, which is true if he doesn’t smile. They have many more regular customers ever since he started working at the front, the majority of them females.

The woman receives the bag and checks it briefly, unmistakably noticing an extra bag of cookies he threw in as a gift for her. They’re for her grandson who just turned ten yesterday –Chanyeol decorated his cake. “But my boy, I didn’t-”

“Worry not, madam” he reassures her, smiling only with his eyes “It’s been taken care of” The woman gives him a grateful smile, mixed with pity, before she thanks him and leaves. Chanyeol greets the next flirty customer in queue with the standard greeting and mechanical, friendly and polite gestures, but his mind is wandering to the old woman who just left; why do they have to pity him? Just because he’s different doesn’t mean he’s damaged or inferior.

“That comes out of your salary” his boss doesn’t fail to remind him with a scowl, watching all transactions at the register like a hawk from his regular seat in the corner behind Chanyeol. Chanyeol doesn’t make mistakes and is always precise to the last penny, but he guesses it’s some sort of a twisted hobby for his boss to supervise him tyrannically all the time. Knowing his boss is referring to the cookies he gave to the woman, Chanyeol turns around for a moment before receiving the next customer and smiles at his boss _with all his scary teeth_ on purpose.

“I’ve already paid for it” he reassures him, secretly enjoying the look of discomfort that crosses the older man’s face. Chanyeol is falsely accused of being many indecent things from time to time, rumors that he’s regularly indifferent to, but he would never give the pleasure to his insufferable boss.

When the crowd in the shop dwindles down to more manageable numbers, Chanyeol takes a break from the counter to restock most of the shelves that have been drained since the morning. The visitors inside the shop steer a little further when he passes by, intimidated by him and his impressive height. He finishes with the shelves quickly and starts arranging the displays behind the counter, carrying hot loaves of bread in large baskets that don’t seem to him as heavy as they averagely should.

While he’s working near the glass window front, his ears discern the excited thundering of small shoes, running in the midst of the crowd that walks the street. One glance at the clock on the wall confirms that school is over, which means groups of little children will be swarming the store front soon, making a short stop on their way home to admire the jars of colorful candy on the grandiose display which is as tall as Chanyeol. When they arrive, with giggles and bickers, a row of noses pressed against glass blocks the view, and he sends them a friendly wave. They notice him and wave back, and then they start a game of spot the funny faces Chanyeol makes behind the candy jars; they find his teasing expressions, distorted by the glass jars, to be hilarious. Chanyeol snickers too, feeling like a carefree child again, the loud guffaws of joy outside transferring to him.

Until his boss barks “Chanyeol, stop fooling around!” and Chanyeol has to go.

“Yes sir!” he answers automatically, straightening his cramping legs and waving goodbye at his audience outside. The children disperse and Chanyeol goes back to work.

On evenings, Chanyeol works solely at the pastry room, assembling cakes, decorating cupcakes, weaving biscuits and preparing dough for tarts. It’s relatively the quietest time of day, when he can work alone in peace, without his boss watching over his shoulder or customers talking without respite. His boss complains about Chanyeol working out of his sight, in spite of the evidence and lucrative fruit of his hard work, but he knows better than to intrude in Chanyeol’s little kingdom. It has become tradition for him to spend his evenings working in solitude, and not even his boss dares to break it.

He often works on regular treats they offer in the bakery’s display, he organizes and finishes customized orders, and sometimes he works on new recipes, if he is not too tired from the day. He has steady hands and an artistic inclination that could take him beyond cake decorations, so he feels more relaxed when he is working at his own pace. It’s the only time of day he spends for himself, the late noon sun filtering through the large window which overlooks the main street. He never feels like he is alone, thanks to the fire which always accompanies him in the small oven, exclusively for sweet pastries; he sometimes hums in a continuous conversation with the flames.

The only thing that troubles Chanyeol is the window. He enjoys the sunlight, deprived of the gentle warmth that used to weaken him as a child, and he doesn’t mind the muted sounds of pedestrians strolling outside any more than he minds the customers in the neighboring room. What bothers him is the stares.

Chanyeol halts his task of swirling buttercream for a moment and glances to the window, already expecting to find three young ladies peeking inside the room where he is working. He can hear their whispers and feel their eyes on him, he can even feel their heartbeat if he allows himself. They think he is handsome, his tall body and lean muscles, his spotless skin and lustrous hair, his attractive facial features, which are designed to lure and seduce people. Even his pale complexion, his sharp fangs and burgundy eyes seem charming to them behind the virtual protection of the glass window between them; they wouldn’t dare look at him or stand near him for so long if they were in the same room or if they crossed paths down some street.

This observation happens daily; if not young girls, it will be middle-aged women, often times men too, or simply curious people. Even now, as he daringly holds the unwavering stare of the girls, he doesn’t know what to feel. On one hand, it’s the only occasion when people actually _look_ at him, they acknowledge him and show interest. On the other hand, this curious examination makes him feel like a caged, exotic beast on display, and the thought sickens him.

Chanyeol stirs up the fire with a small swing of his wrist, letting its whispers drown out the whispering of the girls in his mind, and he goes back to piping another violet flower on the cake.

~~~

The front door opens right on time, always at the same time every day. She takes off her shoes, tired feet flattening on the wooden floor, and then she takes off her coat, the faint scent of work dispersing as she waves her short hair. She steers to the bathroom with quiet steps and soon the faucet will be running as she washes off the outside world after a long day. She doesn’t speak one word to him and Chanyeol denies feeling a small ache in his heart.

It has always been like this.

A flair of his fingers distinguishes the fire in the oven and he pulls out their dinner without any need for protection on his skin against the hot pan; Chanyeol doesn’t burn. He places the food in the middle of the kitchen table, between the pair of plates and utensils he has set out neatly. His cooking has been perfectly timed today, so they can enjoy a nice meal –it’s the only day in a fortnight they can have meat for dinner, after all. He makes sure the fireplace is keeping the room warm enough as his mother shuffles to the kitchen, dressed in a long, loose dress, with her fringe clipped back.

“Welcome home” he says gently, a habit he has yet to break even though it hurts. She takes a deep breath and smiles at him a little in acknowledgement; Chanyeol often wonders how much he looks like her when he fakes a smile.

They take a seat opposite each other and his mother mumbles about the savory scent of food as she serves them both, a gesture which has remained since Chanyeol’s childhood. Chanyeol accepts the food and quietly agrees with her, inwardly troubled; the scent of food and her scent register very similarly in his senses, which means he’ll have to schedule another hunting trip to the woods within a fortnight. He can thirst for months but he hates the feeling, and more than that, he hates the instincts his body wants to have, but he keeps constantly suppressed.

“How was your day, mother?” he asks with interest after a few bites of food. They have dinner together every day, before spending a while reading or discussing by the fireplace with a hot cup of tea, and then going to bed. On some days, she is more quiet, a few days she remains completely silent, on good days they can have long conversations. There are miniscule hints about what sort of day his mother is having, which Chanyeol is able to read after living with her for twenty seven years, but could go completely unnoticed in someone else’s eyes; his mother knows how to hide, she had to learn how to do so the hard way. Sometimes, Chanyeol has to analyze her soul to figure how she feels, and even though it’s not easy for him, her behavior has taught him how to hide from people too.

“It was a bit better than yesterday” she answers sincerely, glancing at him but failing to keep his gaze, dropping her eyes to her food again. It gets more and more difficult to look her in the eyes as Chanyeol grows older; ever since his vampire features matured and his appearance settled, he reminds her of his father too much. Sometimes she startles when she sees him or looks into empty space with memories racing in her eyes.

So today is a good day, but still, their house is silent. She is not tired, troubled or melancholic like she might be on other days, she is just…calm. Chanyeol likes reading her soul when she is calm; she has a soft maroon color, thinly marbled with black and white, lining trajectories through the maroon canvas lazily. The feeling lulls him to sleep.

“Chen is coming back tomorrow” he prompts after dinner is over and the table has been cleared. She doesn’t react to his words, seated by the fireplace and trying to warm her hands. Chanyeol hands her a warm cup of herbal lemon tea, which will definitely help her warm up. She glances at him with a thankful smile –just the fact that she has tried to look at him more than twice today proves she has had a good day. “Should we call him for dinner?” he suggests, sitting across from her; he doesn’t really need the fireplace, but he sits there for the company.

“We haven’t seen him in a while, have we…” she muses, looking into the fire with traces of a fond smile on her lips. She is undoubtedly reminiscing some of the mischiefs Chanyeol and Chen have been involved in throughout the years of growing up together, until Chen started working with the caravans that travel through the woods with merchandise, linking their city to the world beyond the kingdom. It’s weeks or even months between his visits, but he always makes sure to stop by and bring the occasional trinket as a gift to Chanyeol and his mother –he doesn’t say it, but Chanyeol has read his friend’s soul, and he knows that Chen is always very grateful to them for watching over his family across the street and helping them while he is away.

“I would like to see him” Chanyeol agrees quietly, turning his gaze to the hearth. Chen is by far the most normal part of Chanyeol’s life, and for that, he makes Chanyeol’s mother feel at ease, also helping Chanyeol clear his head. And Chanyeol needs that, one last time before he goes.

~~~

Today is the day.

For others, it’s just another sunrise, a noon, and a sunset, but to Chanyeol, it’s the day he leaves everything he knows to yesterday. His life in this city will conclude, like a finished chapter of a book, and it will be a memory, a prologue for things that are waiting to happen in his life. Thus, this day for him, is a day of many last times. He wakes up in his bed, he has breakfast with his mother, and he watches the sunrise from his window for the last time; there are many things he will be leaving behind, but these daily things he will miss, while the rest will blur in his memory. The most important things shall not become a memory, blur or fade, however, because he is taking them with him; his dreams, the love of his mother, and sunlight will follow him to never ending widths and lengths.

Today is the day Chanyeol is being banished from this kingdom, the last day he spends in the familiar city of elves, and the first time he leaves in search of his future.

Rather than Chanyeol waiting for this day, this day has been waiting for him; he knew that they would eventually meet, and he has never tried to avoid it. Every morning, when he would wake up, he bared in mind that it _just might_ be the day; but it never was, until now. This day was decided upon years ago, when he was still a child; making an exile out of a misfit child would be outrageous, so the elders thought that society ought to provide for his upbringing and keep him in their midst until he would be capable to survive on his own. Given that Chanyeol has been perfectly capable for a decade now, but he still fits poorly with the rest in spite of their harmonious coexistence, he deems he has overstayed his welcome, and he is not planning on inconveniencing anyone. When the letter containing the executive announcement came two days ago, he and his mother were prepared.

He has always had mixed feelings for this day; the day of his banishment is the day they officially and unanimously reject him, the day he will have to abandon the safety of everything he knows, but it’s also the day he will be finally free of his ties to this land, the first day of a new life that awaits. And more than fear, bitterness, insecurity or sadness, Chanyeol leaves with excitement; he is finally shooting through the universe in search of the place he’s meant to be.

But first, he needs goodbyes.

In the morning, before the dawn, he parts with his small companion. He waits for her outside the door of his house; he has a feeling she’d find him anywhere, and not just on the usual route to the bakery. That feeling doesn’t deter his heart from beating anxiously while he waits nevertheless, glancing at the horizon and counting the seconds before the dawn, hoping she will find him in time.

She appears unannounced as always, skipping her steps as she passes by Chanyeol’s house, always heading to the upper city. He waves at her from across the street and a smile lights up her face; she skips to his side merrily and looks up at him with anticipation.

“I will not be walking with you today” he informs her gently, and it almost hurts to give her a smile because he knows it’s one of the last few. She frowns in confusion and slowly walks to stand in front of him; Chanyeol takes a breath but he doesn’t have words that will make this easier. He offers her an apple instead, and she accepts it reluctantly, not knowing it’s the last time. He has made arrangements with his mother to leave food outside their door every night for her, but she won’t be receiving it from him in person from now on. As if sensing there is something more to be said, she lingers, storing the apple in her pocket for later and keeping her eyes, brimming with bafflement, on Chanyeol. It’s a pity; Chanyeol had hoped he would get to see her happily munching on her treat once more before he left.

Left with no choice but also hoping he can get his emotions through to her, Chanyeol explains the cause and the nature of his departure. She looks confused, distressed, even devastated when Chanyeol tells her that he has to leave. She cries, and it’s the first time he has seen her sad, even though she tries to be brave for him, futilely blinking away her tears and biting her lips. He tears up as well, the words becoming more and more difficult on his tongue in the face of such profound misery on her innocent features. Dawn delays today.

“Of all the things in this city, I will miss you the most” Chanyeol confesses through his tight throat, and he takes a moment to quickly wipe away his tears. Her hands clench into little fists. He kneels down to match her height and level his gaze with hers, and slowly unwraps his scarf from his neck. “You can keep this, and wear it when it’s cold” he gives her his scarf, gingerly transferring it around her neck and wrapping it with care; and that’s when her tears overflow freely. He looks at her with new tears in his eyes, his lips curling into a miserable excuse of a smile; he will miss her.

Unexpectedly, she lifts herself on her tiptoes and leans in just a little to kiss his forehead; the first and last touch between them. They’ve been so close all these years, and as if sealing their memories, her chaste, warm kiss will never leave him. He realizes he closed his eyes only when he opens them again to look at her, feeling a little stunned, but smiling at her affectionately. And, looking into his eyes, she whispers the first and last words he will ever hear from her. “Kiss; for protection”

She leaves with steps that seem heavier than ever, slower, wearier, but dutiful. Chanyeol watches her go, he sees her hesitating at the corner, but she walks on without looking back; maybe that’s how he should go as well. He stands where she left him long after she has disappeared in the distance and the first rays of morning sunlight start lighting far behind the horizon. He watches the sunrise from his window with a heavy heart, pensively leaning against the frame.

He spends the day at home with his mother; no one else expects a farewell greeting from him. Chen left days ago for his newest assignment, and they parted then; they both had a feeling this day would come soon. Chanyeol has notified the baker that he won’t be working with him anymore, even though it’s common knowledge he would be leaving someday and that the day has come, so his former boss managed to hire a replacement in a matter of hours. Maybe someone one day will ask what happened to the tall, strange man who used to work at the bakery before, and all everyone will ever need to know is that he left. They will feel better for their precious city and homogenous community without him; maybe some of them expect to wake up feeling lighter tomorrow. But Chanyeol knows the sun will rise just the same for them.

His last day in this kingdom is spent within the walls of his home with the company of just his mother –and he wouldn’t have it any other way. She took a day off from work for this, and he appreciates her effort to give him a few nice final memories from his life in this city. His mother talks to him more today; they talk about the future, how she will manage the house alone and her plans to keep his room, just in case he ever visits. It’s the most they have talked in years, still not quite what a mother and son relationship should be, but closer than it has ever been.

They will keep in touch of course; no one would be so cruel to deprive him of his mother. And Chen will let her know once Chanyeol settles down, wherever that might be, his friend insisting on visiting him right away. Chanyeol is not leaving them behind, but he will still miss them; and if he has grown a little used to being apart from Chen during the last years that his friend has been spending travelling for work, he will miss his mother worse. He tries to memorize her, from the sound of her voice, to the way she tucks her hair behind her ear and holds her teacup, her scent, her faint aging lines, her warmth. He will see her again one day, he is sure, but until then, he wants to remember her, just like this.

After sunset, she becomes a little anxious; she can’t ignore that their time is running out. He tries to keep her calm and reassured, talking optimistically and luring her into conversations that will cheer her up and distract her from her worries. Even though she’s smiling, the colors of her soul mingle anxiously sometimes, swirling and swirling. Chanyeol smiles at her brighter and compliments her eyes then, like she says his father used to do, and it calms her, dispersing her worries and leaving behind only the smile Chanyeol wishes to remember. Their conversation shimmers down and they’re more quiet when it’s past eleven at night, and nothing Chanyeol may say or do can lift the solemn mood; it’s almost time.

“I…” his mother starts hesitantly, her eyes leaving the flames she had been staring at deep in thought. She looks at Chanyeol with wide, apologetic eyes “I haven’t been a very good mother. I’m sorry, Chanyeol” she admits honestly; Chanyeol is a bit taken aback by the sudden apology, but he can tell she feels genuinely disappointed and unhappy with her parenting. Chanyeol can’t expect her to have regrets though, because they both know things couldn’t have been any other way between them.

“I understand” he says, looking deep into her eyes. He offers his hand and she takes it in a heartbeat, holding his hand for the comfort they both need. He can’t remember the last time he touched her, he can’t recall his mother hugging him in joy or crying with his pain, he doesn’t have affectionate memories of his mother like other people do, but he can tell this is his mother, he can feel her. “You will always be my mother” he reminds her, and she nods slowly, on the verge of tears. She is all the family Chanyeol knows, and he is part of her, he has taken many things after her, and he will always be her son. Maybe having him was not easy for her, but she has never regretted him; she will miss him too.

When the clocks strike midnight, echoing down the hill from the central square in the upper city and all around, chiming notes that dance between the walls and alleys, Chanyeol kisses his mother and walks to the gates of the city. He silently parts with memories as he walks down the familiar roads and past gardens and houses he’s been seeing all his life, his lonely steps flying over pebbles he’s passed so many times throughout the years. Before he crosses the threshold to the outside world, he turns to glance at the mass of stones and souls he used to call home, sleeping under the moon. He feels a little sad to let them all go; they’ve witnessed every smile and tear, and they have watched him grow, just as he has seen them laugh and cry, and sleep and live.

Today is over. The Serpent glances at him for a moment before going back to sleep, curled around the moon. Chanyeol sighs, leaving his breath in this city and keeping its bittersweet air in his memory, before turning back and marching to the valley, and from there, into the woods, without looking back.

~~~

The sun is shining high in the sky, white threads of sunlight spreading onto the light blue dome balancing over the forest. The trees ruffle their foliage as the wind tickles through their branches, their bright green colors that have started sprouting this spring mixing with the pines and evergreens. A stream of water is humming ceaselessly some distance away, and small planes with irregular edges are snugly located amongst the woods. It looks like a picture out of a children’s storybook, an emerald forest bathed in bright sunlight, fluffy white clouds travelling over the mountains in the distance. It looks harmonious, full of life and wildflowers blooming unsuspectingly on the fringe of wiry tree roots.

Chanyeol sits on the edge of the cliff, enjoying the view of the forest lying under his feet, wide in every direction till it meets the mountains. Falling is the last thing on his mind, his thoughts more peaceful and serene than he ever remembers, as if they are riding the wind and clouds quietly. Nature surrounds him with her comforting presence, the chirping birds keeping him company, bees, squirrels and other small animals going about their productive day under the abundant sunlight. The forest around him is animated and bubbly, brimming with sounds and scents and colors which should seem discordant, but instead of being overwhelming, they blend into one rhythm which feels soothing to the senses. The air tastes fresh, filling his chest and emptying his mind, until his lips curl into a dizzy, hyperventilated, yet sated smile; he exhales in relief, dropping limp on the ground.

Truly free, truly alone.

He doesn’t know how far into the woods he’s gone, but it’s far away from the borders of the kingdom he knew, far from people, far from the life he left behind, and further than he’s ever been. As if he has escaped the gravity of a place that had been keeping him captive in a futile orbit around its insignificance, he feels free at last. The woods are deep and dark but welcoming; they accept all life in their embrace and accommodate it. Chanyeol feels like he belongs here a little better than he ever did amongst the people of his kind. He realizes that his whole life he had been a nonconforming slave to their collective consensus, imprisoned by rules that would make him resemble them, chained by their fear of him, accountable to fulfill expectations that would make them feel safe.

But, in the woods, there are no voices, thoughts and heartbeats in the distance, there are no rules he is obligated to follow. There is no one to please and no need to hide or pretend to be something he is not. He doesn’t have to be afraid of himself and measure his mistakes. He can be his honest self.

He can smile openly at the wonders of the forest that fascinate him and _feel_ that smile on his lips. He can dart through a flower field at incredible speed, seeing the petals dance after him and feeling the wind on his face. He can stand naked under a cooling waterfall to feel the water on his skin, which might look sickly pale but he is living. He laughs, he cries, he despairs and anticipates with no fear, only with a subtle sense of fulfillment. On quiet nights, he plays with his fire on his fingertips, watching the small flames licking his fingers harmlessly; the warm glow casts away the loneliness.

For the first time since he can remember, Chanyeol has a chance to explore sides of himself that have always been tightly locked away and kept under control, so that he wouldn’t disturb the public ethics. The inner connection he feels to his commonly considered abominable half of his nature has always been strong and unwavering, but widely undiscovered and underrated. In the woods, he can hunt whenever he thirsts, without having to count the days and sneak around secretly, lest anyone finds evidence, and he thinks he has improved a little, allowing his instincts more control, understanding how they work and taming them instead of smothering them. He discovered he can spend days without sleep, because his body doesn’t always need it, and that he can jump ten times his height and still land on his feet. He never knew his body could be so intriguing, and even though parts of him remain to be explored, he is starting to feel more comfortable in his own skin –a feeling he has been deprived of since his childhood.

Chanyeol is free to be both an elf _and_ a vampire in the woods, free of manmade shackles and imposed insecurities. It’s acceptable for him to belong here, with no restrictions, even if he is different.

Before he left the city, he marked down the path he needs to take, on the map of the forest Chen gave him for that purpose, but he doesn’t follow it at all, going wherever his feet and curiosity lead him. After crossing the woods and some far distance on the periphery of vast and impersonal kingdoms, he is planning to reach the nearest vampire layer; a society of vampires who live in the Black Mountains. He wishes to meet his father for the first time, and thus seek closure for the vampire part of him. But he has plenty of time and space to explore until then, he can make his own decisions, and that freedom he is planning to thoroughly enjoy. He is finally allowed to search the universe for his place, his _home_ , and perhaps it will be a long journey, but he will not be intimidated; he has spent all his life feeling an outcast, and all he wants is the warmth and safety of a home.

Chanyeol lifts himself from the ground, deeming he has had enough rest for now, and he dusts off his clothes, picking up his travel bag and swinging it over his shoulder. He gazes over the forest with a hint of a wistful smile on his lips, savoring the view. The woods are fascinating and they undoubtedly feel nice, but he has a long way to go ahead, and it doesn’t feel like he has reached his destination, so he has to keep walking.

~~~

A few days later, Chanyeol is heading to the Beehive Caves, and he finds himself walking through a part of the forest with unusually dense vegetation; heaps of green shrubs and a carpet of clover-spotted grass cover every centimeter of land, moss growing at the base of the trees, which block the view of the sky with their massive verdure. As an elf, Chanyeol is able to feel the outburst of vitality, the small sighs of every leaf and the gulps of every root, a net of life which usually spreads yet this time it has gathered around one place; it almost feels like there is something the forest is trying to hide.

Amazed but sensibly cautious, Chanyeol examines his surroundings; in addition to the natural inclination of elves, his teachers made sure he learnt the elven ways properly, in a pointless attempt to coax the vampire out of him, as if one of his halves could prevail upon the other. He doesn’t think it’d be necessary to reach deep into the heartbeat of the forest, so he only synchs with his environment, absorbing hints of all life around him like his skin would absorb sunlight, and letting them compile into an overall impression. Everything seems normal, above all suspicion. With his senses he detects small animals hiding in the trees, shuffling in the branches that arch over Chanyeol’s head, even smaller animals sleeping under roots that arch above the ground, ferns shaking mischievously, declaring the occasional presence of slightly bigger animals, and the air is full of scents, hints of flowery perfumes and fresh air that sneaks through the canopy of leaves.

Chanyeol resumes his exploration, walking at a slower, enjoyable pace. The most impossible of beings coexist peacefully here; even Chanyeol is allowed to pass by without stirring panic, even though he is a higher ranking predator in the woods. Young birds are crying for their mothers in their nests and little foxes are frolicking in the bushes outside their makeshift home. Chanyeol is careful not to disturb the creatures he meets, from the bundle of sleeping bunnies in the ground to the snake that slithers under his feet. Some animals watch him curiously, perched in holes in the trunk of a few trees, and a temperamental squirrel almost hits him with an acorn, but his stroll is mostly uneventful. The trees feel so old here and so full of life, untouched for centuries.

Chanyeol’s step falters when his eye catches something shiny on the side. He would have walked past it, dismissing it as another reflection or a trick of light, had it not stood out in his senses; bizarrely enough, it stands out because he can’t sense it at all, even though he is sure of its presence. He halts and turns to look at the foreign object curiously, and sure enough, he can only _see_ it, no matter how much he otherwise exerts his physical perception. But it’s there, something small and shiny, floating over a fallen tree covered with moss a little distance away from him. It looks like a small sphere of white light, perhaps a luminous fluff of a dandelion, about as big as his fist, its outline hazy as the light defuses and blends into the surroundings. It floats steadily in one place, as though it is anchored on something, or maybe waiting. _Perhaps it is just a trick of light after all…_ he assumes, moving closer tentatively; he likes unusual things, he just wants to have a closer look at this unprecedented apparition.

He walks slowly, crouching lower with each step to examine the peculiar reflection; he thinks he sees it sway a bit, but he attributes the impression to his intense scrutiny. The closer he gets the more perplexed he becomes; the hovering orb is emitting light in every direction at a short distance around it, but it doesn’t seem to be receiving any light, so what exactly does it reflect? And what could be causing the reflection? Chanyeol could swear it has three dimensional mass. He tilts his head to the side, one final step away and already contemplating to touch it, but he suddenly stops and flinches a little, freezing in place.

 _By the Serpent, this thing just_ moved.

Chanyeol holds his breath, wide eyes glued on the little orb of light, floating a mere meter away from him, a few centimeters _further_ than it did a moment ago –its distance from its former spot over the fallen tree proves to Chanyeol that he did not just imagine it this time. He now regrets coming so close to something unknown and potentially dangerous, even though the small light still looks harmless, simply hanging from nothing in the air. At times like these, Chanyeol wonders why his eyes can see more than what people know.

After a few long and uneventful moments of stillness, Chanyeol gulps down his nerves and dares a tiny step closer. And it moves again! It wafts a little further in the air, slowly and gently, as if he’s given it a magnetic push. Chanyeol straightens his body, his fine eyebrow creasing; what is going on here? His next step is a bit wider, and the unfamiliar object floats away in proportion, and they repeat the process for a few steps.

Could this thing be alive?

No, it can’t be; if it were, Chanyeol would have felt it. If it were earthly matter, he would have felt it too. But how does it respond then? And more importantly, how does it respond according to his action each time? Chanyeol stands and stares at the orb, deep in thought, subconsciously assuming this thing is alive because it has some basic sense, and he wonders; where did it come from? Why does it float away from him but only just enough? Is it scared, or annoyed? Why doesn’t it attempt to vanish into the woods if it wants to avoid him? Does it want to play, is this a game? Maybe it wants him to follow it? No, it would be leading the way in that case, instead of retreating. What is this thing anyway?

It takes a moment for him to realize, since he can’t pick up anything about it other than what his eyes can see, but he soon gasps in surprise when he sees other little balls of light floating around in the woods. They look identical to the one closest to him, suspended in different heights, hovering between the tall trees and greening bushes like lanterns, brighter than the rogue sunlight slipping through the branches. Chanyeol is confused for a moment –he is sure those things weren’t there a blink ago, where did they come from? The small spheres seem to buzz in place for a few seconds as he watches them –it could be a warning, but Chanyeol is sure for some reason that they are vibrating in excitement– and the movement causes his sharp vision to focus on the greater scheme. _Oh,_ he notices, the lights aligning roughly, _it’s a path_.

He chances one more step forward, knowing that there’s a possibility the pretty lights might scatter in response, but he thinks they want him to follow them somewhere. The lights don’t scatter; they simply float back. Or maybe forward, it’s hard to tell when he is only one man and the lights are close to a dozen, more of them appearing gradually to join him on the way. They all keep their distance, gracefully gliding between the trees, and it feels like they’re dancing with him a little; Chanyeol inwardly smiles at the thought.

He follows them willingly, at a leisurely pace, his steps curious and strangely excited. Every part of the woods they cross is just as vehemently vegetated and vividly inhabited as was the place they started from, and the playful lanterns shine steadily like stars in the air, forming clusters and patterns in the distance. It’s not long before he can feel a miniscule shift in the air; they must be nearing a meadow in the woods. Chanyeol hasn’t let go of his link to the forest, observing it as he passes, like an invisible touch of his fingers sliding over the intangible aura around him. When the opening through the trees that leads to the clearing comes into view, the lights spill out of the tree clusters, floating in the sunlight; it’s a hypnotizing spectacle, and Chanyeol’s lips gape in amazement.

It feels like something changes a little, but it’s not the forest. The feeling is lost, however, because maybe Chanyeol already knows what changed; he is not alone.

He stands still between the trees at the entrance of the small clearing, right behind the clean line separating light and shadows on the ground. The evening sky is tinted a mellow blue, small wildflowers are blooming delicately on the grass and the orbs of light are floating mesmerizingly in the open air; it feels like time is slowing down, a sense of tranquility nestling in his chest.

His eyes are wide and his lips gaping nonetheless, because for the first time in weeks, Chanyeol has found another person in the woods. He didn’t sense anyone on his way here –even now, his link to the forest doesn’t give away the presence of someone being so near. He hadn’t been expecting to meet anyone so deep in the forest either, the last signs of civilization he came across being miles behind him. But this person is here, seemingly wandering alone like Chanyeol.

The unfamiliar person has short, dark hair, and is clad in white clothes, which are impressively clean for a forest hiker. The figure is hunched over the ground, back turned to Chanyeol and oblivious of his presence. The airborne lights seem to be more comfortable around that person than they were with Chanyeol, floating closer, close enough to shower the figure in light and touch it, gathering and swirling around the body of the stranger. In return, long fingers play with the dancing lights and beautiful hands hold them to rest from their happy squirming; the relaxed, fluid moves betray a practiced familiarity, as if this is not the first time the lights interact with their beloved stranger –maybe this exchange is something more than Chanyeol can understand.

Why did they bring him here, though?

Chanyeol thinks over his options. He could ignore the unusual lights and the secret purpose for which they’ve led him to this place, he could turn around and leave with no evidence he was ever here, and continue his way carefree. Or, he could make his presence known to the stranger across the clearing, he could ask him for directions to his destination, and see his face at least. The first choice would be wiser and safer, but the urge to follow through with the latter plan is strong. He hasn’t talked to anyone in so long, he hasn’t even looked at another person, and he is curious to meet the stranger who plays with the lights in the middle of the forest. There is something about the peaceful feeling in Chanyeol’s heart that begs him to get closer, as if the orchestrating moves of those pretty hands are in truth playing a very different game than they seem to, tying Chanyeol with invisible strings that will pull him closer. Chanyeol takes a fortifying breath.

“Excuse me…” he calls quietly, hoping not to startle the stranger. The sound of his deep voice breaking the silence and carrying into the open air makes him feel a little self-conscious, as if he has done something he wasn’t supposed to.

And in that moment, after years of living adapted to a superficial yet very intense social life, Chanyeol feels like he is back to his childhood years; nothing more than an insecure, lonely child who craves a hearty smile but is consistently denied, his heart longing and dreading interaction. He learnt to cope with people who never liked him, he stopped approaching others with naïve expectations, he lost hope in finding close friends and being liked by someone, he became depended on himself alone and based his confidence on his secret merits, uncaring of other opinions. But it’s all gone now, magically, without a warning, his heart fluttering uneasily and his throat constricting in the prospect of the stranger turning around to meet him; his heart beats a little faster, just like when he still used to be the unguarded, optimistic, hopeful child.

Maybe his voice carried out very gently indeed, in spite of disrupting the silence, because the stranger doesn’t startle by his sudden appearance; on the contrary, even though the stranger’s presence seems unexpected to Chanyeol so deep into woods, the stranger seems to have been expecting Chanyeol’s presence, somehow. A small tilt of his head is the first indication he has heard Chanyeol, and then the lights detach from his form slowly as he lifts off the ground, very gracefully, unhurriedly turning around to face Chanyeol.

The stranger is a man. A beautiful man, even from the distance, with sharp features which give yet a soft impression, and he seems to have an average built, although it’s hard to tell under the loose clothes. His stance is relaxed and he seems approachable, harmless even, but composed, his gaze locking with Chanyeol’s gaze from the first moment they face each other with eerie accuracy, as if the rest of the world and its distractions have dispersed in a blink. The unwavering, innocent eye contact makes Chanyeol want to move closer, have a closer look, just like he tried to do with the floating lights now scattered around them. Should he?

The man makes the first careful step closer, small and shy but certain. Chanyeol mimics him across the distance, stepping into the remnants of sunlight from the day, a bit more hesitantly. After that, the man’s following steps are increasingly confident, intent clear on both sides to approach one another, and Chanyeol’s steps grow regular and sure. More details come into view as they cross the distance between them, and Chanyeol notices a few more things about the man, even though he tries not to stare. He has slender limbs and fair skin, hair black and shiny like ebony stones, beautiful hands and a slender neck above broad shoulders. His lips are thin and set in a natural pout, their rose color contrasting his pale skin. He has strange, sad eyes; Chanyeol avoids them the most.

They stop advancing when they’re separated only by a couple of steps, gradually slowing down to a full stop. They stand across from each other, unguarded and oddly comfortable, exchanging equally curious gazes. Chanyeol’s eyes take in the man’s appearance once again; he is shorter and seems a little thin, his slender hands fiddling with the edge of his shirt almost bashfully. His clothes and soft shoes are pristine, his skin spotless. The evening dew has turned his skin pale and his eyelashes dark, outlining his round eyes as they stare back at Chanyeol, analyzing him. He doesn’t try to hide the fact that he is staring at Chanyeol, innocent puppy eyes gazing at him as if he is the most fascinating thing. It’s a little uncomfortable and unfamiliar; Chanyeol hardly thinks he is worth such attention, but the man seems captivated –perhaps he hasn’t seen another person in the woods for a long time either.

“Hello” Chanyeol greets quietly, attempting to sound friendly. He keeps his expression genuine because he doubts he could get away with anything less honest under such scrutiny. The look of wonder hides in the stranger’s eyes, replaced by a gracious twinkle as he tilts his head to the side.

“Hello” he responds just as calmly, a vague smile curling the corners of his pouty lips upwards. He has a nice voice, soothing and husky, which sends tingles down Chanyeol’s spine. He is momentarily distracted, not only by the man’s voice, but also because of his gaze; there is something to be said about the fondness in the man’s eyes as they travel all over Chanyeol’s features, as if he is trying to memorize every detail in a silent reverie. Chanyeol briefly tries to remember if they’ve met before, but he thinks he would remember such a beautiful man –he has exceedingly good memory. Even though he usually feels uncomfortable under studious stares, this time Chanyeol doesn’t mind those gentle eyes on him; if anything, they make him secretly blush, with a tentative sense of intimacy. Perhaps Chanyeol reminds the man of a loved one.

It takes a few moments of silence until they speak again, but even silence feels comfortable and natural between them. Chanyeol can’t remember the last time he has had such a peaceful interaction with someone or has felt so welcomed in their presence.

“I’m sorry to interrupt” Chanyeol speaks, as he originally intended “I’m looking for the Beehive Caves; can you help me?” he explains politely. He’s been planning to camp there for the night and he knows he is close, but the floating lights have disoriented him from his course. He doesn’t understand why the eyes of the stranger fill with indecipherable emotions, something in his reverie breaking and changing into something akin to longing and melancholy, his smile fading ever so slightly. The change tugs at Chanyeol’s heartstrings inexplicably.

“Yes, I can help you” the stranger whispers, straightening his posture and blinking away the emotions. There is a slope of disappointment lingering on his cupid’s bow but his expression remains agreeable, hinting at a smile, more guarded and less radiant than before. Chanyeol doesn’t know if he should apologize or ask about it, but he is not given the time to ponder on it any further. “Follow me” the man says and turns around, walking ahead to guide Chanyeol. Without looking at him, it’s hard to tell what the man feels, and Chanyeol is left with the faint burn after a scratch on his curiosity that he can’t do anything about.

Their pace is not very fast, but not too slow either, so Chanyeol can easily follow the man through the thick vegetation on the other side of the woods, without stalling unnecessarily or risking a slip and fall in the rapidly diminishing light. The shorter seems to know where he is going, navigating easily through the trees and warning Chanyeol about low branches and stray roots that stick out from the ground unsuspectingly. There is an indefinable _something_ about the way the man ahead moves his agile body, and Chanyeol is not proud to admit he catches himself staring at the outline of the man’s curves whenever his clothes stretch over his slender limbs.

“Do you live in a forest village nearby?” Chanyeol starts a conversation, mostly to distract himself from the man’s mesmerizing presence. It’s like he can’t get his eyes off of him since he first saw him, it’s so strange.

“No” the man answers simply, with a quick glance over his shoulder. Chanyeol is silent for a few more steps, just in case the shorter would like to add something to their conversation. He has spoken just a handful of words, all his responses precise and short. Chanyeol hasn’t met many people outside his city, and he is not familiar with the customs from all over the world, but it seems strange that the man doesn’t try to hold a conversation. If he is trying to avoid Chanyeol, why is he treating him so kindly, why did he look at him so fondly earlier, why did he offer to spend time with him as they walk to their destination? It doesn’t make sense. It must be something else.

“Are you traveling through the woods then?” Chanyeol asks, this time a bit more curious and focused on their conversation, already suspecting the answer he will receive will be concise. It takes a moment longer for the man to reply.

“In a way, I suppose” comes the puzzling answer in a calm voice which fosters many thoughts. The man keeps his eyes ahead, even though his gaze is unfocused, flooded with thoughts that don’t seem particularly pleasant. Chanyeol is more curious than ever, his expression bewildered.

“I don’t understand” he admits, frowning in confusion. If he doesn’t live here or travel through here, _what_ is he doing here? In spite of Chanyeol’s close observation of the man, he can make little sense of him. The man stops in his tracks and unexpectedly turns to look at him fully, his eyes sincere. Chanyeol’s breath hitches a little, suddenly facing the beautiful man and his insightful gaze again.

“You don’t have to.” He points out calmly, strange eyes boring into Chanyeol’s with a perplexing wisdom. The latter opens his mouth to say something but he soon closes it again with no words to say.

Yes, he doesn’t have to.

But he thinks he wants to.

That is not enough to impose on the man, however, so he bows his head apologetically and seals his lips, promising to himself that he won’t let his desire to understand all irregularities he comes across get the best of him, as far as the man is concerned. The man watches him a little curiously, as if he doesn’t understand –or perhaps doesn’t need– the apologetic gesture, but that is of minor importance.

“We’re here” he announces simply, gesturing ahead on the path they’ve been walking. Chanyeol follows after him for the last few steps, until they reach a narrow clearing, tucked between the trees and a wall of stone, with multiple, irregular cavities that resemble a beehive.

“Oh…” Chanyeol utters, his eyes travelling up the cold, grey surface, full of caves and gaps. He had heard of its size but he hadn’t expected so many caves piled in one giant hive; it seems miraculous the structure hasn’t collapsed on itself. His eyes outline the web of stone that links and separates the caves, grey and rough or covered in dark moss, outlining the formation like a frame for this uncanny, natural work of art.

“Thank you” Chanyeol remembers to say, turning to the man with a startle, as if his eyes don’t expect to find him there anymore after they lost sight of him to favor the caves. But he finds him, standing in his place beside him and already staring back. It’s a little surprising –he thinks the man’s gaze is something one can’t ever get used to. It’s very confusing this time as well, because the man’s eyes are soft but hard, his expression torn but calm. He looks almost pained, as if he is quietly suffering, and Chanyeol is worried for him, but the man speaks first.

“If you’re staying here for the night, I suggest the higher caves. It’s safer” he advises, not even glancing at said caves. His voice doesn’t give away whatever anguish he might be experiencing internally, his emotions once again blinked away and hidden, so Chanyeol opts not to ask about whatever was happening to him a moment ago.

It must be obvious why someone would be searching for the caves at such a late hour; Chanyeol wouldn’t mind spending the night in the open forest, but it’s been days since he slept longer than the sun, so he hopes to sleep unobstructed by the morning light. He knows many of the caves serve as the home of forest creatures, some of which don’t appreciate intruders, but the higher caves, like the man suggested, are less likely to be occupied, due to hard access. Those school fieldtrips into the forest have instilled some knowledge in him.

“Yes, thank you” he absentmindedly thanks the man for the helpful advice he kindly offered. His attention is captured by the gentle sadness in the look the man gives him and his small smile, just a subtle tug of his lips, before he turns around and leaves.

The man departs quietly and, as he leaves, it feels like he is taking the sense of calm with him, pulling it out of Chanyeol’s chest little by little; the latter marvels at the strange feeling, but it’s not very pleasant. He feels like he is losing something, like it’s slipping through his fingers. Just before the man disappears completely into the shadows of the evening that lurk in the trees, Chanyeol starts with a sudden thought.

“Wait, I didn’t-” he tries to call, but the man doesn’t show signs of hearing him. He doesn’t flinch or falter; he simply walks deeper into the shadows, disappearing. And Chanyeol didn’t ask, so he doesn’t even know his name. The man is gone.

~~~

The night is dark and deep over the forest, cold and obscure. The leaves in the trees shiver under the moonlight and small nocturnal animals scamper in their layers, tiny noises wafting in the air. The shadows are more reliable than flickers of light, but he doesn’t need to distinguish much on his path as he walks quietly, navigating through the trees swiftly. His destination is clear in his mind, drawing him closer like a blazing fire on a cold night. He does not need the stars to guide him; he never needed to know the course he’d have to follow, because he always knows where _he_ is, across mountains and rivers and oceans.

His steps are nearly soundless, feet brushing against the black grass rapidly. There is no need to hurry, but he wants to reach _him_ soon, while the night is still in its first prime. The air smells of premature honeysuckle, lilies, moon flowers and nocturnal dew, like the cooling caress of spring. The animals hold their breaths and hide as he passes by, their little heartbeats humming madly as they sense his dangerous, dominating presence; his aura blankets the space around him, reaching deep between the leaves and far between the trees surrounding him. Everything keeps so quiet and still in his pass, that the forest, full of life, seems a deserted land.

At last he reaches the clearing, the trees parting to reveal the hollow mass of stone, crowned by the night sky. There are clouds in the sky, blurring the moonlight in slow intervals as they travel across it and part. The rock glistens like molten led, the caves looking brooding and bottomless. He walks on the periphery of the clearing, steps slow and careful, keeping him hidden from view. He keeps his eyes intent on the caves, hoping his presence won’t disrupt them –the animals should be asleep or hiding by now. He touches the stone when he is close enough, its texture cold and hard like metal; it looks safe enough to climb.

He climbs easily on the side of the rock, where the stone is more solid, but it takes a bit more effort to move further up and across it. It would be easier and faster to jump, but he doesn’t want to make his presence so obvious –he will be gone before sunrise without a trace. He climbs high above the ground, his hands occasionally cut on the rough rock and healed instantly. His fingers leave little dents on smoother parts of the stony surface, his feet light against it as he reaches higher. He doesn’t stop to explore the caves, swiftly passing them if he can’t avoid them; there are many alternative options, many places _he_ could have chosen for the night, but he ignores them, since checking them would be a waste of time. He knows _exactly_ where he is going.

Like a spider, he crawls around caves and holes, till he reaches his destination, higher than the bat caves and lower than the treetops that hold the wind at bay. It’s an innocuous cave, nothing about it stands out –but he knows this is the place _he_ is. With one last pull of his weight, he stands against the moonlight at the mouth of the cave, the swaying sea of trees behind him. All sounds are strangely muted, barren rock keeping most signs of life suppressed. But there’s a pair of soft puffs of breath released into the darkness, so hushed that the flicker of a flame would overwhelm. Only one breath belongs to himself.

_It’s him, it’s him, it’s him._

Shaking his head to silence the whispers, he makes a careful step. His eyes don’t need light to see, silhouettes and details equally clear in his vision. The hollowed rock doesn’t make for a shallow cave, the walls becoming rougher and slightly tighter the deeper one goes. There is still enough space for one to stand, and the ground is clear of fragmented, chipped off rock on most places. There is a trace of smoke in the air but no signs of fire, and a strange after-warmth lingers in the narrow space, mixed with a muted, steady heartbeat. His prowling steps, silent like a cat, bring him closer to _him_ , unsuspectingly sleeping deep inside the cave.

He holds his breath, feeling his heart bursting in his chest, beating against his ribcage as if it wants to jump out. This pull against his entire being that has brought him so far is pushing him closer, so close he is only steps away. The blood wheezes in his ears, his throat constricts, he can’t breathe or feel his legs, his cheeks grow warm and his hands cold –his body has never felt so wrong and yet so right. He didn’t dare get so close in daylight, and now he feels so heavy, so breathless, as if an ocean is smothering him. But it’s just right; it’s so sweet, so fulfilling, he feels so safe; it is where he belongs.

And he finally sees _him_. His heart beats painfully, his eyes blur with tears and he bites his lip so hard that his face pales. _He_ is sleeping on his side, facing the wall, his body curled small, as anyone as tall can be. _He_ looks so innocent and scared, just like the first time they met.

Baekhyun tries to make one step closer but his body betrays him, his knees giving out under the weight the universe has rested on his shoulders, and he falls to the ground soundlessly next to the slumbering man. His knees will bruise but the pain is nothing compared to how his breath gets knocked out of his chest, his shoulders trembling. He feels like a million strings are pulling him with force, allowing infinite leeway for him to get closer but straining against him if he tries to lean away the slightest bit, like elastic bands that tug on him painfully, inside and outside. How will he ever manage to leave when he must?

The man on the ground stirs, but his breaths are even, his eyes gently shut; _he_ is only dreaming, oblivious to Baekhyun’s presence. He waited well into the night to come, so that sleep would be his cover. His eyes travel over the man’s relaxed features; _he_ has grown so handsomely. Tall and strong, graceful in his moves and polite in manners, his voice so deep it lulls the senses; but _he_ remains adorably awkward and curious, shy when you look too close. His hair is dark like coal and his skin pale as the moon, his features are noble and stunning, the burgundy color of his eyes imprinted at the back on Baekhyun’s lids. His profile is equally striking, his tall nose and sculpted cheekbones, his long lashes fluttering against his soft cheeks. _He_ looks so precious, so dear, and Baekhyun _aches_ to hold him, but he’s afraid of getting so close.

His full lips suddenly part to let out harsh sighs, his figure starts squirming on the ground. Baekhyun scoots closer, frowning at the strange convulsions of the sleeping male. A mirroring frown is etched between the man’s brows, his lips pale and his eyes moving restlessly behind his closed lids; his heart rate has increased, his body twitching in discomfort often. As the natural course of things has it, Baekhyun gets instantly worried for _him_ ; it takes a few moments of bated breath and close observation until he figures that _he_ must be having a nightmare.

Baekhyun’s hand has a mind of its own, tentatively reaching out for the suffering man, and by the time he realizes what he is doing, it’s already too late to change it; his fingertips touch the man’s forehead in concern, the contact light and faint. He instantly freezes, praying the man won’t wake up from his mistake, which is why he can’t risk removing his hand too fast. He stays still for a few moments, his heart drumming nervously, his eyes watching _him_ struggling in his sleep. Thankfully, even after Baekhyun’s fingers unconsciously brush against his forehead further, the man doesn’t show signs of awakening, and Baekhyun distractedly notices that _he_ is warm under his touch.

His instinctive touch unexpectedly turns into a comforting one, as the man relaxes after a few moments of contact and the tension slowly drains from his body. Baekhyun watches in wonder as the small jerks fade and the muscles loosen, his body even straightens a little, opening up. The strain dissipates from his features, his eyebrows smoothing out, his jaw going lax, his breaths turning steady and deep. _He_ is sleeping peacefully again, as if sensing Baekhyun’s presence beside him; the latter slowly retracts his hand and examines it inquisitively in the darkness. He didn’t know he could chase away the nightmares –but he is glad he can.

Letting his hand fall back to his lap, Baekhyun resumes watching _him_ sleep, synchronizing his breaths to his, and calming his heart. He allows the feeling of comfort, joy and serenity sink in, blend into the rest of his senses. It’s like the stars have aligned, the seas have joined across the lands and the butterflies have hatched, emerging with fluttering wings over the flower field. It feels so beautiful, so soothing and consoling. He’s been here before, but he is always ripped away because he can’t stay –and the feeling is gone then, everything is spinning out of control, the world is crumbling; there’s not a day in his life that he doesn’t wish he could stay. He has missed _him_ so much. He breathes in his presence, a smile blooming on his lips tenderly. Baekhyun sighs in the silence.

_My Chanyeol…It’s you, it’s you, it’s you._

~~~

The day is sunny and hot today, sunbeams sneaking through the trees and reflecting on the shrubs, as if their leaves are made of glass. The colors of nature are vibrant and bright, flowers, mossy soil, dewdrops, all bathed in sharp light that stabs his sensitive vision mercilessly; even the shadows are too vibrant to bring him comfort, and Chanyeol feels like he is a kid again, overwhelmed by the sun. It’s difficult to walk straight and navigate through the trees because the forest is smothering and confusing his senses, his eyes enduringly squinting against the disorienting, animated picture of the woods surrounding him.

The only reason he hasn’t curled up under a rock to outwait the daylight is because his flesh feels like it’s boiling from within, and it’s easier to endure the unpleasant sensation if he keeps walking and distracting himself. Feeling much warmer than usual, he is naturally drawn to the sound of a creek tumbling through the forest nearby. The promise of fresh, cooling water steers him through the chaotic surroundings, until he stumbles into open air. His muddled senses slowly come into focus, and he sees the sparkling stream, dividing the narrow grassy field that follows the water’s course through the woods.

Without sparing time to think about it twice, Chanyeol runs to the bank and kneels beside the water, splashing good handfuls of it on his face to refresh and calm himself. It’s cold and crystal clear, the grey pebbles of the riverbed shimmering under the quivering surface as the water flows by. Chanyeol watches them and his trembling reflection as he runs his fingers through his hair and over his eyes, ears and neck, the lukewarm, wet touch bringing some relief to his weary body.

He repeats the process until he is feeling a bit better, his senses no longer assaulting his concentration. He notices the flowers blooming around him, mingling with the grass blades and covered in dew from the frothing water; he feels a little sorry for those he has accidentally crushed under his weight. As an elf, he treats nature with respect and care, so he scoots to the side, settling on a small part where there are no flowers; the poor plants he unintentionally squashed in his haste are wilted and bowed to the ground. He sends them a silent apology, slowly passing a hand over them, and they spring up again, blooms intact and fragrant as before. Chanyeol smiles; small things like this make him proud to be an elf, proud of himself.

He turns his face to the blue sky, sighing contently; it’s been a long time since he could face the sun so confidently and gratifyingly. But as he blinks the sunlight out of his eyes and looks around, his eyes fall on a lone figure in white, standing across the river.

He is not sure it’s been a week since he met the strange man in the forest, and ever since he’s been walking alone. There have been no signs of others wandering in the woods –even the man disappeared after they parted in front of the Beehive Caves, leaving no trace behind, as if he never existed. Chanyeol convinced himself not to think about that perplexing encounter, the floating lights, the man’s strange eyes and soft hands, because he’d only drive himself mad with questions that would never be answered; there are more exciting things to anticipate in the woods. He was sure he was alone until a moment ago, so he is more than a little surprised and confused to come across someone here.

And he could swear it’s the same person; Chanyeol has good memory and he is _sure_ the man across the river is familiar. Medium build and impeccably white loose clothes, black hair and pale skin, pretty hands, sad smile, strange eyes; it has to be him.

Chanyeol rises from the ground, guarded and uncertain. What are the odds of fortuitously meeting the same, mysterious person in the woods, twice? This time there were no floating lanterns or unkempt forestry, he hardly knew where he was going. How does this man appear and disappear without Chanyeol sensing him in the least? The two men stand on either side of the stream, unmoving, gazing at each other as the breeze slithers between them, following the water’s flow. How long had the man been standing there before Chanyeol noticed?

He is not sure what he should say or do. The tension that should be between them is nowhere to be found, gurgling under the water. He feels peculiarly comfortable, safe, calm. The man seems friendly enough, agreeable and harmless, just like the last time; there is something very soothing in his presence. His eyes never leave Chanyeol and his lips are demurely curled into a warm smile, the wind ruffles his hair and caresses the edges of his soft eyes; he possesses a subtle yet stunning beauty.

“Hello again” Chanyeol hears his voice distantly, as if it weren’t his own. He doesn’t know what he is trying to accomplish by approaching the enigmatic man. Perhaps he is instinctively defying reason this time too because he needs company for a while, someone to talk to, even if it is a complete stranger; he fears, however, it’s much more than that. There is an unshakable impression of underlying familiarity between them, and Chanyeol feels like he is immersing deeper and deeper in the man’s presence when he looks at him, faster than it happened last time. Once again, he is irrevocably captivated and cannot look away.

The man’s smile gleefully twitches at the recognition he receives from Chanyeol and he proceeds to cross the river to Chanyeol’s side; but instead of walking across the shallow ford in front of him, he leaps over the water, so effortlessly, as if he were only making a small step, and so gracefully, like an arrow dancing through the air. Chanyeol inaudibly gasps at the sight; he recognizes this remarkable agility. It’s the same agility _his own_ body possesses. All the questions and speculations about the man’s origin return to him in a heartbeat, a nervous shiver running down his spine, but it dissipates as fast into a deep sense of serenity, when the man looks at him in the eyes –it’s hard to keep his thoughts coherent when he is looking into those striking eyes.

“You found me again” the smaller says affably, approaching Chanyeol with leisurely steps and an easy smile; he makes it sound like an accomplishment rather than coincidence. He seems relaxed and unruffled, his steps surrounded by flowers –as if he didn’t just make an extraordinary leap over the water. Or perhaps it seems extraordinary only to Chanyeol.

“It seems we took different paths to the same place” he smiles a little too, scratching his neck bashfully when he realizes how awkward he just sounded; the man only shrugs his shoulders nonchalantly and stops a short distance away from Chanyeol, keeping appropriate space between them. He looks amused –probably at Chanyeol’s expense, who seems unable to shake off the flustered, shy and hopeful aura of his childhood in the company of this man. _Why am I being like this?_ “Where are you traveling to?” he asks what he thinks was an important question in his mind before the man’s alluring presence overshadowed his better judgment. He needs a moment to regroup and tide up his thoughts, which like to squirm like his heart at the moment.

It seems to be the wrong question however, because the twinkles in the man’s eyes seize and his smile dims a little. Chanyeol can almost see the grey cloud that appears looming over the man. “It’s complicated” he murmurs, averting his gaze. Chanyeol feels to blame for the man’s unhappy state and thinks better not to speak until he finds something worth saying.

A silence stretches, and it feels heavy, but also muted by the peaceful disposition between them, like the sunrays filtering through a jar of honey. The man looks progressively troubled, a frown shadowing his eyes as he looks around uneasily, at a loss for words –he is rather frugal with them in the first place. Chanyeol wishes he had words to offer him, to help him out of the difficult position. But before he can find a bit of coherency to share, suddenly the man turns to Chanyeol with a decisive glint in his eyes, seemingly having found the words he needed. Chanyeol promises to himself that he will take whatever the man has to say to him in stride.

“Do you like cherries?” he asks boldly, his expression reminding Chanyeol of a determined, seeking puppy, nose high in the air and eyebrows slightly pulled closer.

“Um, yes?” he answers uncertainly, a bit fazed since he had not been expecting such a question. He doesn’t understand the point of such a conversation, but he has kept his promise, and his answer was honest; he does like cherries –they are his mother’s favorite fruit. The man lights up at his affirmative answer, his eyes widening slightly in excitement and his lips tugging into a playful smile. _This expression suits him much better_ , Chanyeol thinks absently. The conversation has served its purpose well, if you ask him.

“Come with me” the man invites Chanyeol with an undeniable spring in his step as he turns around; he doesn’t wait for an answer, starting his course by the riverbank, his figure outlined by the sun through his gossamer clothes as he walks –there is a strong sense of déjà vu for Chanyeol. He shakes his head a little to keep his focus before he starts following the man. He doesn’t need to ask where they are going, because soon he can see the cherry tree for himself, standing on the frontier of the forest line, graceful branches bowing to the ground, heavy with leaves and fruit.

The shorter man naturally reaches the tree before Chanyeol, who is following him without any hurry. Half of him disappears in the foliage as he searches for cherries, the entire branch with all its pretty leaves shaking cutely from his concealed ministrations; Chanyeol stands aside, figuring he can wait for his turn to pick cherries after the shorter is done. It wouldn’t be proper to crowd with him in the restricted space of the cherry tree’s shadow. He leans against a nearby tree instead, watching the squirming limbs of the tree and smiling privately; he can’t help it, he can almost imagine a tail wagging excitedly. It’s not his place to think strangers in the woods are _cute_ though, so he pretends to be disinterested, enjoying the shade on his side of the tree.

After a while, the stranger emerges from the frondescent branches with leaves tangled in his hair –making it very difficult for Chanyeol to deny his cuteness. “Here” he offers his cupped palms, brimming with sweet cherries, their deep red color contrasting his beautiful, pale hands. Chanyeol blinks speechlessly, surprised by the thoughtful, welcoming gesture –then again, the stranger has been kind to him all along. He looks from the stacked cherries to the man’s face, flabbergasted; but there is no room to question his pure motives when the man is looking up at Chanyeol with a radiant smile, as if he has achieved a great accomplishment.

“Thank you” Chanyeol stutters awkwardly, allowing the shorter to pour some round cherries into his bigger hand –it would be cruel and heartbreaking to refuse him, after he went through so much trouble to handpick them personally and seemed so genuinely happy to share them. The man looks satisfied, flashing Chanyeol an easy grin and then motioning accommodatingly with his free hand to sit by the shade so that they can enjoy their cherries. Chanyeol blinks stiffly and follows after his example, sitting on the grass.

They sit side by side, facing the flowing stream, with a little more than an arm’s length distance between them. The shade is wide enough to fit them both comfortably, the sound of the water drumming steadily filling the silence, and the scent of wildflowers lulling the senses. Chanyeol picks a fleshy cherry between his fingers, admiring its burgundy color and hoping his matching red ears aren’t too noticeable. He is not used to someone being _nice_ to him –or considerate, or genial. This is completely new to him, who has been always thrown away, and he doesn’t know how to feel, his heart stammering indecisively in his chest. On the other hand, he doesn’t feel compelled to act or react to the man at all; be it to thank him for his help and company or ask him pivotal questions, he doesn’t feel like he ought to say, think, feel or do anything. Even silence is sweet, like the cherries on his lips, a comfortable companionship wrapping tentatively around the two men.

“I’m Chanyeol” he introduces himself, and even this is unusual for him; everyone knew who he was back in the city, they loved pointing fingers at him. His lips stretch in an innocent, hopeful smile as he looks at the man sitting beside him, shuffling his long legs nervously against the grass; it feels like he’s not a day older than he was on his first day at school.

The smaller man turns to look at him, unexpectedly thoughtful, cautious eyes wide in uncertainty and pouty lips stained by the fruit. There is a small moment of indecision, for which Chanyeol worries he has overstepped his boundaries; the courtesies of interaction are a vastly unknown territory for him, even his introduction could be clumsy and disconcerting to others. When the man speaks, he doesn’t reciprocate an introduction.

“Why did you come into the forest?” he asks instead, his interest genuine but not intrusive. It’s a simple, sensible question; but instead of asking for information about Chanyeol, it sounds like he is asking for an explanation from him, as if he wasn’t supposed to be here and his presence is confusing to the man. His eyes bore into Chanyeol’s, his hesitation gone, his gaze sincere and warm, comfortable; Chanyeol breathes a little easier, still uncertain of what just happened but still thankful he hasn’t offended the man in some way.

“I’m traveling through the forest to reach the country road” he answers honestly, not feeling the need to hide his destination, or lie to the smaller man. He doesn’t seem dangerous or malevolent; on the contrary, he is so pleasant to be around and he has been so courteous to Chanyeol that the latter is barely faring without his heart skipping every other beat. The man maintains his expectant expression and steady gaze, as if Chanyeol’s reply has not answered his question at all. “I’m going to the Black Mountains” he adds quietly, in case that rings a bell for the man –although he doubts that would be the case.

“Is it far?” the man asks curiously, tilting his head to the side in question. It’s voiced with the naivety of a child, his eyes catching some sparkles from the sun reflecting on the water and bouncing off of it, as if through fractured glass. It makes him look very innocent and pure. Chanyeol presses his lips in a thoughtful line for a moment, trying to think of a way to explain the distance to someone who is clueless of the location.

“It’s further than I’ve ever been” he chooses to answer in the end, purposefully vague, opting not to reveal what sort of place that is or why he intends to visit; it doesn’t sound safe. This man is beautiful when he smiles and cute when he is good-naturedly curious about the world; perhaps it would be best if he is unaware of a few evils in the world, if monsters like Chanyeol stay out of his nightmares. The man opens his lips to speak, and Chanyeol is sure he is going to ask _why_ , so he evades with a question to him “How about you? Are you travelling to a place?” he asks, folding his long legs butterfly-style for comfort and peering at the man inquisitively. It’s one of the questions that have been bugging Chanyeol since they first met.

The man closes his gaping lips, rerouting his intended question to a thought-out answer, the outline of a serious frown appearing on his forehead. “I’m always travelling” he starts in a careful voice, as if he wants to answer but he’s afraid to phrase it lightly –he is always most careful with words. There is the promise of more, so Chanyeol stays patiently quiet, even when the man turns his eyes away and favors the pips piled in his hand, bleeding red color on his skin. “…but my destination is not a place” he murmurs, a frown now clearly carved between his eyebrows as a thoughtful shadow crosses his eyes. The index finger of his free hand starts poking and setting aside each core on his palm absentmindedly.

Chanyeol’s eyebrow curls in bewilderment. “What is your destination then?”

The man shrugs his shoulders noncommittally and reserves another moment to stay quiet. “Many things…” he answers casually then, without really revealing anything further, even though to him it seems to be making perfect sense. Chanyeol feels perplexed; everything this man says and does is an intriguing mystery, a riddle that always leaves him disoriented with more questions. He is not sure he wants to ask further; the man is like a complicated puzzle and Chanyeol is not sure he is meant to solve it. While Chanyeol thinks over his answer, the man starts pushing the seeds to the ground, planting them one by one with careful, graceful fingers. “Or just one” he finishes cryptically, his voice quiet, almost talking to himself –as if Chanyeol weren’t confused enough thus far, he is now officially befuddled.

“Are you traveling alone?” he changes the topic slightly, trying to make even a little sense of the man; the answers he’s been getting are equally taciturn, measured, mystifying and complicated, but they give him a tiny bit of insight. He is still far from understanding the source of the tranquil feeling he has in the man’s presence though.

“Always” is the one-worded answer, accompanied with a sad smile. The man is still planting future cherry trees, his downturned eyes devoted to his task and swarmed with unfathomable thoughts. A gust of wind ruffles his hair, black silken strands being tossed in all directions on top of his head; and in that moment, he looks so defenseless, so small, and so miserable, but also so _so_ delicately beautiful, that Chanyeol’s heart misses several beats. This heart condition he is developing is not safe.

“Is that not dangerous?” he prods, admittedly concerned over the safety of the smaller man. It’s not entirely reasonable to foster such worries for a stranger –for all Chanyeol knows, this man could be even faster and stronger than he is, perfectly capable of surviving in the forest, with past experience in the woods. He denies that his reservations stem from his budding fondness of the man, and he blames them on the spirit of his upbringing instead, according to which everyone protects and provides for the rest.

The man scoffs under his breath with a slightly bitter smile, turning his eyes to Chanyeol once again –and once again, Chanyeol feels a bit shaken from them. “I don’t share most people’s safety concerns” he says; there is a challenge in his voice which Chanyeol cannot accept, but he is most certainly intrigued by it. He shouldn’t ask. _He wouldn’t tell me, no matter what I say._

“You’re interesting” he blurts out, a small, entertained smirk playing on his lips. The man flinches in startle for unknown reason; Chanyeol inwardly curses and mentally checks if his fangs are showing. But his lips are sealed over his teeth, and now that he looks at the man again, the latter doesn’t look scared. He seems upset, as if he has just remembered something important that he had been forgetting.

“I should be going” he announces hastily, his eyes wider than before and urgent, but he stands on his feet slowly, as if his body is more languid than his mind. Chanyeol stands too, and that’s when the urgency leaves the man’s features, his expression slowly morphing into a warm, gentle smile. He has to look up a little to meet Chanyeol’s eyes, and the downward curve of his strange eyes makes them look even more round and innocent, catching iridescent sparkles from the water nearby. “It was nice meeting you again, Chanyeol” he says quietly, his sweet voice coating Chanyeol’s name with a semblance of affection that brings an inexplicable flush to the taller’s cheeks.

Chanyeol is about to say something too; maybe he had been planning to thank him, or ask him for his still unknown name, or mumble a parting line shyly. He is a little sad to lose the calming, comforting feeling the man brings in him every time they meet, but he knows he has no other choice.

All words and thoughts are drowned, however, in a sparkling sunlit wave that flows over the ebbing sadness in him, when the man smiles. He really smiles, happily, openly, dazzlingly, his pink lips turning to a rectangle, revealing white rows of teeth and sharp canines, his eyes turning into half-moon crescents.

Chanyeol is rendered speechless by those adorable eyesmiles, his heartbeat so loud that he can feel it in his throat. The last person to smile at him like this was an otherworldly creature with golden curls; and yet it felt nothing like this smile, so sweet and delightful and familiar, somewhere in the recesses of his mind. Something is urging him to hold onto the man, hold on tight and don’t let go, but he can’t move a muscle. He doesn’t know what this is, why he feels so short of breath, his resident butterflies squirming and his heart bursting in his chest.

Something invisible is draining from inside him, tugging on his stomach, then on his skin and fingertips, until it’s gone. By the time he comes back to his senses and he can focus on the world around him clearly, the man has disappeared without a trace into the woods, like Chanyeol has simply blinked and he is gone, and only the murmuring of the stream accompanies him. There are no footprints, no scent, not any sort of visible or invisible trail left behind after the man’s departure, and the forest doesn’t give away his presence to Chanyeol, no matter how deep he searches. The sun is shining, the sky is blue, birds are chirping and flowers adorn the grass field on either side of the glimmering waters; life goes on, in the only way it knows, ignoring the ailments and troubles of earthly creatures. He has lost him for the second time without a clue, and maybe it’s too much to hope he will be so lucky as to find him a third.

Chanyeol falls to his knees, exasperated with himself, and groans loudly in frustration, scaring a deer nearby.

~~~

The rain is pouring so hard, as if to make up for the previous days of sunshine, and the forest is considerably more difficult to tread, especially after the sun has set. He should be able to navigate through the storm, his elven gift linking him to nature and guiding him safely, regardless of the biblical downpour. Unfortunately, Chanyeol’s vampire senses don’t take overstimulation too kindly, fighting for his attention and ruining his concentration irreversibly.

He wants to flinch away from everything; his wet skin and drenched clothes, the droplets sticking to his eyelashes and running ticklish trajectories through his hair, the smell of wet soil and humidity, the creepy, whispery sounds that splash against his ears through the rainy forest, and the muddled, dark figures outlined by his eyes. He is disoriented and the ground is outstandingly slippery, the darkness broken by faraway lightning being worse than complete darkness.

If only he could be back at his mother’s quiet, warm, and dry house.

Chanyeol follows the rocky mud, in hopes of finding a cave to hide in for the night. It all looks brown and black, hardly trustworthy even where his feet are firmly stepping on the ground, sometimes illuminated by seconds of dim, white and grey light. The trees around him quiver, whipped by the wind and storm, rustling noisily, and the rain runs in rivulets over the grey rocks, carrying away dirt and pebbles that roll down with the water. He saved a porcupine from certain drowning earlier; he begrudgingly wonders if there’s anyone out there to save him, because he feels just as doomed and defeated as a drowning porcupine.

He is climbing on a pile of rocks under the flimsy protection of some trees, feeling vexed at the constant shower of water –the leaves prefer releasing the water in thicker drops than the rain, rather than sheltering the creatures taking refuge near the roots– when his hold on the rock slips. He holds his breath, but luckily, he doesn’t fall, his quick reflexes saving him from his clumsy mistake, and he gets away with a just cut on his hand that heals in seconds, instead of a nasty fall on uneven ground, which would have taken longer to heal and he’d be left rotting in the rain. He sighs, realizing how tired he is, hopelessly exposed to the elements.

He pulls himself to a steady position on the rocks and checks his healed hand; the red scar across his palm is fading slowly, rainwater washing away impurities on his skin. The water dripping around his temples and down his jaw gives him something to focus on momentarily, a first thought to grab onto and figure out the rest in his chaotic mind. He needs to find shelter first and foremost. He had meant to find in his head a way to escape the storm, but he discovers something different. Chanyeol frowns deeply, looking at the muddled darkness behind him in suspicion. _This can’t be right._

He can’t be certain of anything in such a confusing, overwhelming thunderstorm, but for some reason, Chanyeol feels…odd. Like something is watching him in the dark.

Holding his bow firmly in his hand, Chanyeol surveys the area thoroughly, even though it pains his senses. He makes out the shapes of trees and bushes, rocks and rippling puddles of dirt –he even catches sight of some leaves being ripped off the branches by the wind, falling heavy to the ground with the rain. He can’t hear much other than the pitter-patter of the raindrops beating the surface of the earth, the roar of colliding clouds in the distance, small heartbeats and bated breaths of animals in hiding, and the hushed squirming of water on areas where it gathers. His sense of smell is similarly of little assistance, so he tries to link with the forest.

He is convinced something is out there, even if he cannot sense it; he can _feel_ it, that’s all he knows, and it is enough to draw an arrow from his quiver. He doesn’t move a muscle; the forest is quiet. The more everything seems normal, the more he worries. He manipulates a few branches, the wood cracking as they curl and draw closer to him protectively.

There’s a tiny gasp, and Chanyeol’s eyes zero in on it, his bowstring drawn taut as he aims his arrow.

“Who’s there?” he calls, his fingers steady and in position. He’s an exceptional archer –perhaps the best his city had ever seen– stealth, fast and painfully precise. There is a long pause, everything remains the same, but Chanyeol doesn’t give up on his hunch just yet. He licks his lips, tasting the water on his flesh, his eyes shifting a little when lighting falls but finding focus again on their previous spot. “Show yourself” he demands, bow and arrow poised to kill.

It takes a few pregnant moments of silence, until there is light shuffling among the hedges where Chanyeol is fixed at. So he was right; something _had_ been watching him in the shadows. Slowly and almost like a ghost, a pale figure emerges soundlessly from the dark foliage, shrouded in a gloomy aura. Chanyeol doesn’t relent, still targeting it with a well-balanced arrow, watching closely as it makes slow and careful steps closer to him.

He has to blink twice when the figure stops at a distance he can see clearly.

_It can’t be…_

“Oh, it’s you” his voice conveys only a fraction of the surprise he feels, muted by the rain. His body is frozen in shock, the rest of the world strangely fading and no longer assaulting his senses; but he still keeps his aim on the man. A small twitch and the arrow would pierce through the man’s head, striking him dead. But the man doesn’t try to evade Chanyeol’s point, fearlessly standing his ground and looking up at Chanyeol as if he can’t see the daunting bow drawn between them.

Chanyeol would never mistake this man for anyone else in this lifetime; meeting him twice has been more than enough to engrave his appearance and his presence in memory. It’s been days since their previous encounter by the river, as usually with no sign of the man’s existence. And now, in the midst of the raging storm, he appears in front of Chanyeol, unannounced, with no excuse for stalking him in the dark, and unnervingly undetectable by all of Chanyeol’s finely tuned senses. There is something _seriously strange_ about this man.

“I’m sorry I startled you” is all the man has to say, his voice quiet, barely resonating above the rain. He looks genuinely repentant, biting his lower lip in affliction. The rain has not been kind to him either, drenching him from head to toe and nipping at his pale skin with cold shivers. Who wanders without a coat in the rain? His black hair looks like ink, sticking to his temples and forehead and dripping in his eyes, which are admirably focused in the darkness, staring right into Chanyeol’s –then again, Chanyeol’s eyes glow in the dark and dim hours of the night, so it’s not impossible that the man can see them.

“I could have hurt you” Chanyeol admonishes, loosening the bowstring but keeping the weapon raised, just in case something else decides to spring from the wet and heavy darkness. It’s not safe to meander in the woods on stormy nights; Chanyeol might be a high-rank predator, afraid of very few things, but he _would_ have hurt the man to protect himself, had he not recognized him in time in the murky background. Chanyeol frowns guardedly. “What are you doing here?”

 _What are you doing_ everywhere _I’ve seen you?_

The man blinks away droplets from his round, innocent eyes. “You’re here” he states plainly, as if that is all he needs to say and all that needs to be told in the unholy rainstorm. A stiff silence ensues and Chanyeol’s expression hardens.

“Have you been following me?” he presses, his words fraught with suspicion, his fingers pinching the bowstring readily. The man notices the underlying hostility, his eyes widening a tiny bit, but he still does not attempt to escape it.

“You seemed lost” he whispers meekly, his gaze submissive, his lips pouting sadly; the look on the smaller’s face tugs at Chanyeol’s heartstrings for some reason. His logic is heartwarmingly selfless, like a loyal puppy following its owner, but it doesn’t seem threatening in any case. Whatever this man wants, it’s not to harm Chanyeol, so the latter lowers his bow, his arms grown tired.

“I might be” he admits with a tired sigh. The rain has washed away most of his energy and he has no idea where he is going in the dark. His map is useless. “Do you know the way?” he asks hopefully, praying that the man will miraculously help him, just like the previous times –he seemed to know the forest better too.

“No” the answer is short and brutally honest. Chanyeol inwardly wails in despair, feeling doomed; the storm has already stared permeating his senses as the surprise of meeting the man is starting to fade, and he has no hope of escaping it soon.

“So you’re just as lost as I am?” he guesses in bewilderment. Why would he follow Chanyeol in the dark, adrift in the gale? Even if he has nowhere else to go, it doesn’t make sense. The man perceives Chanyeol’s judgment, mixed with his confusion, and he starts fiddling with the hem of his soggy shirt apprehensively.

“I thought you wouldn’t want to be lost and alone in the woods” he mumbles, pouting adorably. Chanyeol blinks, mildly taken aback; so, it seemed to him enough of a legitimate excuse to follow Chanyeol against all reason into the night and the storm, just so that they could be…lost together?

“You’re a strange man” he lets the words slip out, cutting through the hushed racket of the storm, but he regrets them instantly; he wouldn’t want to offend the man. He’s not one to pass judgment in the first place. The man doesn’t seem troubled though, as if to prove further that he is unusual in the most unexpected ways.

“I am?” he echoes naively, tilting his head to the side with a curious frown. Chanyeol feels a knot forming in his throat but he is not sure of the reason.

“I was looking for shelter” he changes the subject, clearing his throat and recomposing himself. In spite of the short distraction their meeting has provided, finding shelter from the unrelenting rain is still a pressing matter. His senses will go haywire again soon if he doesn’t seek refuge at a quieter, preferably dry place. He shakes his head, raindrops detaching from his hair and flying everywhere. “I think there are caves nearby; are you coming?” he says, without really thinking about it. He is more concerned with the direction they’ll have to take from now on, following the rocky path with his eyes to where it turns steep and disappears into the woods.

A small voice cuts through his thoughts and steals his attention. “Do you want me to?” the man asks uncertainly, and when Chanyeol turns around to look at him, his round eyes are looking back timidly; he is giving Chanyeol a choice. He probably feels guilty for following him secretly and startling him earlier –Chanyeol drew his bow at him, so it makes sense if the man is reserved.

“I wouldn’t leave you alone, lost in the woods at night” Chanyeol reassures him, extending a hand invitingly. He doesn’t know if he should blame his altruistic upbringing, his soft heart, or the inklings of protectiveness he feels when he looks at the smaller man, lost, cold, drenched and defenseless in the woods. The forest is vast but the wrong paths could still lead to robbers or smugglers, or anything worse that a traveler could come across in the less deserted parts of the forest. Hell, Chanyeol worries more about the man than for himself, and he would stay out in the rain with him if he had to.

Don’t ask him why; he can’t explain. There are many things about the man and himself that he can’t explain.

“I can…touch you?” the man asks for permission, staying in his spot dumbfounded, eyeing Chanyeol’s proffered hand as if he’s never seen something like it before. They stand still in the rain, gazing at each other for a few long moments, water dripping from their hair into their eyes; something squirms in Chanyeol’s stomach but he promptly ignores it. Maybe the man is so surprised because he is not familiar with the gesture –Chanyeol is not familiar with many friendly gestures too; maybe the man has spent too many years alone in the woods, just like Chanyeol has spent too many years alone in the city.

“It’s okay, I’ll pull you up” Chanyeol offers, trying to show a small, friendly smile. The man looks up at him, eyes wide and stunned, but a little softer and brighter. It feels like the rain gets a little warmer as it falls between them, the distance that seemed like a deep chasm a moment ago now reducing to a step.

The man’s beautiful fingers are cold and hesitant when they first touch, but their hold grows firm when Chanyeol’s warmer hand wraps around them. It’s not a difficult feat to pull the man from the ground to Chanyeol’s level –he could have climbed after Chanyeol, but the latter didn’t want to risk him slipping and getting injured like he almost did. Once the man is standing safely next to Chanyeol, they exchange shy, accomplished smiles. The distance between them is smaller than usual, and the shorter has to look up a little to meet Chanyeol’s gaze; it’s an endearing height difference. And that’s the start of a comfortable camaraderie.

They follow the path together, Chanyeol leading the way. The rain doesn’t yield, but Chanyeol finds it less confusing with the sound of the man’s steps accompanying him. He finds himself often checking on the man behind him, worrying if he slipped or if he is too cold, or if the rain and the path are too difficult to walk through –he curiously wonders if it was the same for the man when their roles were reversed, if this sense of responsibility for the other is something typical. He can’t help his voice sounding too deep when he is concerned, but the man hears him clearly in spite of the clattering thunder, and assures him each time that he is faring fine.

When Chanyeol checks once again, turning around a little to glance at the man, he catches him jogging the few steps that separate them to reach his spot behind Chanyeol –they can’t afford to drift apart or they will be lost in the storm. “I’m sorry I’m so slow” he mumbles defeated when he reaches Chanyeol, dropping his gaze to the ground in embarrassment, his hair covering his eyes. Chanyeol feels a little flustered at that.

“Um, don’t worry, I’m probably going too fast” he admits, mentally berating himself. His legs are longer and they stride wider, but he didn’t think of that earlier. He has had a lot of practice in keeping his pace seemingly normal in public, hiding his true potential, but he never had to pace himself with someone else. It must have been difficult for the shorter man to keep up so far, especially in these thwarting weather conditions. He makes sure his next steps are more manageable for the shorter man.

True to his predictions, Chanyeol finds a cave somewhere near the rocky trail. It is sculpted higher from the ground and nearly hidden behind wild thorns, a pile of rocks glistening with rain at its mouth. He can only hope it’s empty and deep enough for two people as he treks closer and pulls away a few spidery branches. They are thin and long, looking eerie in the shadows of the night, and their thorns prickle his skin as he digs through layer after layer. By the time he makes enough room to step through, his arms are covered in angry red scratches which itch as they start healing, and he tries to hide them from the man’s view, not to steer suspicion. The cave is not very roomy but thankfully empty and dry, the branches that Chanyeol burrowed through having served their purpose of protecting the cave from intruding animals and rain before their arrival.

They don’t exchange many words as they make themselves comfortable, accommodating each other by sitting on opposite sides of the cave with as much personal space as they can afford. Chanyeol is not used to sharing narrow spaces, but he finds the man’s presence comfortable to be around even in such conditions. They light a small fire in the middle, after a quick trip to gather wood in the rain –the logs are too wet, so Chanyeol is the only reason the fire lights up and keeps burning on them. He makes sure to keep the flame inconspicuously small, but he amps up the heat to warm up the space cozily and help their clothes dry faster. The smaller man doesn’t seem to suspect him on any account, enjoying the warmth and holding his freezing hands close to the fire. Chanyeol has lent him the spare cloak he always carries with him for colder days, and the man has draped it over his shoulders like a blanket, looking even smaller if possible.

“I don’t think I know your name” Chanyeol thinks aloud when the fire has warmed him up a bit and he feels pleasantly relaxed and dazed, finally safe from the overwhelming rain and increasingly tired after his previous efforts outdoors for the better part of the day and night. He panics a little when he realizes he has said it out loud, a wave of embarrassment heating up the tips of his ears for his clumsy approach, and he risks a glance at the man, eyes wide and wary like a doe in bright light.

The other man is already looking back at him, strange eyes crinkled at the corners in amusement, a small smile curving his lips. It only makes him feel more embarrassed and he won’t try to deny it; Chanyeol feels like he couldn’t escape those sharp eyes, the fire flickering in them in amber reflections. Chanyeol blames his mortification for the squirming feeling in his stomach.

“I never told you” the man affirms, voice small, so that it won’t echo in the empty space around them, and final, as if there’s no more to say; the man resumes his curled position on the ground, knees drawn against his chest protectively. Chanyeol’s eyebrow quirks when silence follows, the man turning his eyes away to watch the fulgurating fire idly; does he intend to _never_ divulge his name? Is that why he hasn’t attempted to introduce himself before? _Why would he do that? Is he trying to protect himself from something?_ Chanyeol starts speculating, falling into deep thoughts without even noticing; so, when the man speaks again, it surprises him.

“I’m Baekhyun” he whispers calmly, sending a glance at Chanyeol before focusing on the fire again and hiding half of his face behind his knees, scared and unsure.

_Baekhyun._

It’s a pretty name.

“How old are you?” Chanyeol asks on impulse. His exhaustion is catching up to him, slowly creeping up his spine and making him feel heavy; his blinks are slower, as are his inhibitions. If this is his only chance to discover fragments about the mysterious man in the woods –Baekhyun– before he disappears again, then he won’t waste it like the previous ones. They are stranded in this place together for the night, and as long as the man is willing to answer his questions, he has had time to think of many.

“Old enough” half of Baekhyun’s face is still hidden behind his knees and his voice comes out muffled, but there is no mistaking the mischievous glint in his eyes, very different from the uncertainty they showed before; this answer is safer for him. He likes toying with Chanyeol, confusing him with the bare minimum of words. It’s mystifying, but not exasperating or malevolent; Baekhyun is only playing, pulling at Chanyeol’s curiosity whenever he can to get his attention. Chanyeol remembers being that child, too; shy to approach someone, awkwardly venturing out of his shell before retreating hastily, always prepared to be rejected, disposed of and abandoned. Maybe that’s why Baekhyun never really gets close and always leaves first. Chanyeol doesn’t want to be the bullies of his childhood.

“You look very young…” he muses, taking in Baekhyun’s appearance in the light of the fire. His dark hair has dried, flopping innocently over his forehead and just above his eyes, his face is small, his cheeks smooth, with no hint of aging or scruff. He has a small build and does not know much of the world, even though he is travelling in the woods, with no belongings or a destination Chanyeol knows of. “You’re not running away from home, are you?” he accuses, his eyes tightening in suspicion. If Baekhyun is a runaway, a lot of the things he says and does would make sense. Chanyeol has gone through his rebellious years too, a little more than a decade ago, when running away from the city seemed like a good idea that would spare him a lot of his troubles –but he always stayed, because he couldn’t forsake his mother like that.

Baekhyun scoffs incredulously. “You look young too, but I’m sure you’re not” he dismisses, giving him a knowing look and unfolding his body a little, leaning his back against the rock behind him. He looks so sure of himself somehow; Chanyeol purses his lips at the fire, not knowing how to respond.

Yes, he is not young, despite his deceptively youthful looks. He has been alive for nearly thirty years and nothing about his appearance discloses his age; in some ways, his body is always young, like his polished skin or the lack of facial hair, and in some other ways, his body has reached maturity, like his deep voice or his masculine bone structure. The most disturbing fact about his appearance, however, is that it won’t change with time. In three, thirty, three hundred years from now, he will look exactly the same, a living picture of himself.

“I’m sure you’re not running away from home either” Baekhyun adds calmly after a while of barren silence, cutting into Chanyeol’s reverie. Chanyeol looks back at the smaller man in surprise.

“How are you so sure?” he asks, half seriously and half teasingly. He is not confident that he can demand a definite answer from Baekhyun, since he knows next to nothing about the man, but his insightfulness is astounding. Baekhyun looks like a smug puppy, smirking and shrugging his shoulders casually, but his eyes are waiting for a proper answer. His naïve appearance helps Chanyeol relax and surrender to the moment, sighing in resignation; he guesses Baekhyun has earned his answer. It’s not like he intends to be mysterious, like certain short people around here. “I couldn’t stay” he says, his deep voice turning somber. He turns his eyes to the damp wood under the fire and the mud stains on his boots before he can catch a reaction on Baekhyun’s face.

He couldn’t stay, and that is more accurate than to say he left. He didn’t choose to leave, and no one forced him either, it was just…the only thing _to do_. There was no place for him in the city, he couldn’t have had a life there; he was merely existing at that place. But what’s the point of existing if you’re not actually living? His departure had always been scheduled and his bonds superficial, so he left with no regrets; he feels more peaceful now. He always believed there is a better place for him, and now he is free to search for it. He only misses the city sometimes, because it’s all he’s known for years, it’s where he has spent practically all his life.

“I’m sorry” Baekhyun murmurs with sympathetic, hurt eyes, as he watches Chanyeol closely. He looks really cheerless and affected, regretting having asked a question that has made Chanyeol sad, and Chanyeol realizes that maybe he has come off a little too serious, his body tired and too drowsy to control properly.

“Don’t be” he reassures the shorter, even painting a small smile on his lips to convince him he doesn’t need to feel sad. Baekhyun’s eyebrow curls, unconvinced; his tentative concern over Chanyeol’s feelings makes the taller’s heart warmer. “I’ve always felt like I should find another place to be” Chanyeol explains, smiling to himself a little. There are optimistic sparks lighting in his heart every time he thinks of what he has always dreamt of: a place that feels like home, a place where he will be accepted and loved for all he is; he remembers childish wishes to the stars, to bring him that small miracle of the universe. He hasn’t given up on that yet; it’s the only fragment of his childhood he always wishes to keep.

“I…” Baekhyun starts hesitantly without prompting, and Chanyeol makes sure to focus on him in an instant, curious but patient. Baekhyun toys with his fingers in his lap nervously, his eyes watching his own hands tangling and untangling. “I can’t be where I’m supposed to be. So I’m always looking for a place to be” he says with effort, biting his lip right after. It’s the first tiny piece of information he has willingly offered about himself and Chanyeol wishes he could make more sense of it, but he cannot imagine what Baekhyun means; he still feels happy that Baekhyun is slowly starting to trust him though.

“I thought your destination is not a place” he remarks instead, running through his mind the memory of their previous encounter. He has meticulously gone through the details of his limited moments with Baekhyun countless of times after they’ve happened while he wandered in the forest, like examining a heap of puzzle pieces over and over. Baekhyun nods in confirmation repeatedly, his hair bopping on his head.

“It’s not a place I’m looking for” he says, confusing Chanyeol further and twisting his eyebrows to a frown. Baekhyun doesn’t look at him, staring into the fire thoughtfully; it’s not easy for him to open up to someone and talk about himself, but he still tries. “It might be a color, a shape, a feeling, a thought…I chase material nothings” he admits quietly, sounding so vulnerable. Chanyeol is a little startled by this unexpected piece of information.

Chanyeol was taught about reality levels in school, or parallel realities as some like to call them. He never delved much into the subject, at least no further than he was required to, since elves mostly interact with material somethings –his teachers were more eager to teach manipulating chants, or broaden and deepen the link each of their kind has to nature. He has never met someone who studies realities, but he knows it’s not easy.

“Why?” he asks, genuinely interested. Baekhyun is smart, kind, collected; he looks like he could be living in a city, being charming to people and mastering an art with his wit, his skill providing for him enough to survive comfortably. Maybe he could settle down, wake up every morning in his warm house and go to sleep by the light of the moon in his comfy bed. The hard life of a forest hermit doesn’t seem the best choice, even though it is obviously what he has chosen and Chanyeol respects that.

Baekhyun hums under his breath thoughtfully for a moment. “I feel better when I find them, I feel more connected to the world” he decides on saying, looking at Chanyeol to check if he understands. Chanyeol doesn’t comprehend his logic fully –but when has he ever made perfect sense of Baekhyun? So, he nods once, not pretending to understand but also not belittling the answer Baekhyun has worked so hard to phrase properly. He suddenly feels a newfound admiration for the man sitting opposite him; Baekhyun is obviously much more than he had thought.

“Do you have a family?” Chanyeol changes the subject comfortably. He feels too awake to sleep now, even though he is tired, his thoughts running in his head and keeping him alert, like a windmill turning in the wind. He hopes he can learn a few more things about the mysterious Baekhyun tonight, who has turned a little more transparent towards Chanyeol –truly, a noteworthy accomplishment–, and eventually the conversation will lull him to sleep once again. Baekhyun rests his forearms on his knees and tilts his head back, his eyes gazing at the rough ceiling of the cave right over him. He has a beautiful neck, Chanyeol absently notices, pale and smooth.

“I grew up away from my family” Baekhyun says, his voice strained, not entirely from the uncomfortable angle of his head. It is surprisingly honest, even though it’s hurtful. Chanyeol feels a pang in his chest; he grew up with only one family member and little affection, so he knows what it’s like to miss the warmth of a household, but maybe even one member is less cruel than being apart from everyone. He makes the fire a little brighter and warmer for consolation, even though Baekhyun probably won’t notice.

“Do you miss them?” he whispers. Baekhyun sighs deeply, closing his eyes, his chest straining against a great burden.

“Every moment” he answers, his voice husky and mellifluous, a little hurt, and unbearably devoted and tender. Chanyeol has no words to describe how lonely yet faithful Baekhyun looks, how delicately, beautifully wounded. He stares at him quietly, the silence between them laded with deep, meaningful emotions. It doesn’t feel like they’re strangers at all, the rain and the fire keeping them company in the night. Is it wrong that Chanyeol wants to hold him and comfort him, to ease his pain?

After some time, Baekhyun’s emotions have sunk in and he turns his head to the front again, eyes glistening tearlessly. He looks a little lighter than before. “Do you miss your family?” he reciprocates the question, looking at Chanyeol attentively.

“Oh, it’s just me and my mother” he babbles, feeling a little flustered once again; he doesn’t usually talk about himself, not even to defend his reputation. He is not used to someone being kind to him, showing genuine interest, asking about how _he_ feels. But Baekhyun is entitled to an answer, after he has been through it on his part, with great difficulty. “I miss her sometimes” Chanyeol says honestly, giving Baekhyun a melancholic smile, which the latter easily mirrors with his own heart’s aching. Yes, sometimes…when it’s cold and he can’t make sure her clothes are warm, when it rains and he’s not at home to keep the fire alight, when he wakes up from his nightmares and he remembers her figure by his bedroom door. He and his mother were part of each other’s life and he misses that sometimes.

“What is she like?” Baekhyun mumbles gently, peering at Chanyeol with interest but also respecting his fragile state of mind. Chanyeol clears his throat to get rid of the tightness that formed while he was thinking of his mother, collecting his thoughts to answer.

“She is honest and kind” he starts, a subconscious, fond smile curling the corners of his lips. “She has worked hard to raise me by herself and she taught me well. She isn’t very affectionate but she is…steadfast” he explains truthfully, hoping it doesn’t disappoint. Maybe she weren’t an ideal version of a mother, but she is _his_ mother, and that’s all that really matters. He feels a little comforted talking about her; Baekhyun couldn’t have asked a better question to help him feel better.

When Chanyeol turns to Baekhyun for a reaction, the latter’s eyes are wide and twinkling, his expression looking utterly fascinated, lower lip slack and dark eyelashes outlining his captivated gaze. He looks so endearingly engrossed, that Chanyeol feels bad to stop now, so he desperately tries to find something more to say. “Um, we look alike, a little bit. Our eyes are the same, except for the color of course” he gushes, while his brain is thinking ahead of more things to say.

But suddenly, Baekhyun swoops closer and Chanyeol’s lips jam, his thoughts flying out the window and his eyes widening to saucers at the proximity. There is still a bit of space between them, and Chanyeol can always scoot back if he needs to, but Baekhyun doesn’t seem to have malicious purposes as he kneels next to Chanyeol, stooping a little to look at him in the eyes. In fact, looking at Chanyeol’s eyes seems to be just what he intends to do by keeping their faces mere inches apart. By the Serpent, Chanyeol has never had someone so close to his face before, and his heart is performing all sorts of uneasy maneuvers in his otherwise stupefied body. He is too flustered to move, a numb and ticklish feeling flooding his body.

And Baekhyun doesn’t back down, staying in his harmless position in spite of Chanyeol’s obvious distress, looking at him straight in the eyes, while Chanyeol only blinks back at Baekhyun in a daze. He is calm, naive and still, very intent on examining Chanyeol’s eyes from up close, not minding their closeness like Chanyeol does. One moment he looks like he is too complicated for Chanyeol to understand, too deeply wounded to approach, and the next he looks like he is still a simple, cute child, looking for a friend. This casual proximity wouldn’t be the first strange thing about Baekhyun, but it’s definitely the most confused Chanyeol’s heart has been since he first saw him.

Little by little, something very strange happens; Chanyeol’s heart slows down to a steady, robust beat, and the tension melts away, as if Baekhyun’s eyes can erase it from inside him. His body relaxes, and his expression turns peaceful, his self-consciousness vanishes, and he feels perfectly comfortable again in the soft glow of the fire. His body grows accustomed to this closeness, the surprise fading and leaving behind a sense of security. This serene feeling is inexplicably connected to Baekhyun, wrapping around Chanyeol and flowing warm and comforting under his skin whenever he is around. _How is this possible?_

“Then she must be very pretty” Baekhyun says evenly, after they both know that Chanyeol has calmed down. His voice has a hint of color, coming out more of an affectionate whisper, which blends into the mood seamlessly. The compliment sounds more intimate that way and it makes Chanyeol blush visibly. Baekhyun smiles a little, his pretty eyesmiles forming over his cheeks, but he doesn’t comment on Chanyeol’s rosy cheeks, even though he must have noticed. How can a man as gorgeous as Baekhyun think of someone like Chanyeol as ‘pretty’?

No one has ever called Chanyeol pretty before.

Since his examination has been concluded, Baekhyun shuffles back to his side of the cave like nothing ever happened, gathering Chanyeol’s cloak closer to replenish any lost warmth. Chanyeol keeps his eyes on him, dazed and bashful, still feeling the blood tingling under his cheeks. He can’t gather his thoughts and find a coherent thing to say, his composure escaping his grasp like a coy fish, even though Baekhyun looks perfectly at ease and contended with himself, splaying his fingers in the heat of the fire. Until he frowns in thought.

“Chanyeol?” he calls curiously, turning to look at said man with renewed interest. Some of Chanyeol’s focus returns, even though he has started to feel sleepily languid and blank. “That trick you did earlier, with the branches, in the forest; how did you…?” he trails off in bewilderment, slanting his lips a little and pouting cutely. Chanyeol smiles amusedly.

“I’m an elf” he explains, finding it easier to share things about himself in his irrefutable drowsy state; he is probably closer to sleep than he realizes. Baekhyun’s mouth opens in a silent ‘oh’, his eyes wide; he looks fascinated again, with the simplest of things, and he looks so adorably naïve that Chanyeol doesn’t know what to do with him. “I can manipulate the trees”

“So, you could do it again?” he asks, the light in his eyes telltaling that he is positively thrilled at the prospect. Chanyeol chuckles, his head feeling heavy to hold upright for much longer, his lids opening with difficulty. He looks towards the dark entrance where the spindly branches of the wild rosebush are parted, and Baekhyun follows his gaze, excitement brimming in his eyes. It takes one wave of Chanyeol’s hand for the branches to start spreading and growing, twirling into each other and creating beautiful swirls, soft thorns, dewy leaves and barely split buds, until they cover the view of the outside world.

Baekhyun gasps –the same, astonished gasp that gave him away in the woods. “Amazing” he whispers in awe, and Chanyeol chuckles again, his senses fading and the world turning black as he surrenders to sleep.

~~~

When Chanyeol wakes up the next morning, Baekhyun is missing, and so is the cloak he gave him last night. The fire is long gone, a pile of charred wood standing in its place, and sunlight is streaming in through the entrance of the cave and the hanging rose branches around it. It seems to be late morning.

Slowly, Chanyeol straightens his cramping body and stands, running his fingers through his hair; it wasn’t a particularly comfortable night, but it was surprisingly dreamless. Following his usual routine, he packs his few belongings, inspecting his things in the process –nothing is out of order. Chanyeol scoffs at his distrustful self; there would be little chance of Baekhyun being a thief anyway. If he were, he would have snatched Chanyeol’s things in his sleep long ago, and he wouldn’t have bothered opening up to him last night. Chanyeol is still missing his spare cloak though, no matter how much he looks around the small space of the cave.

He wonders what happened to Baekhyun. _The man always disappears._ It wouldn’t be surprising if he left earlier than the time Chanyeol woke up; he has never stayed before. Maybe his quest in the forest is more demanding than Chanyeol thought; they don’t owe each other their time and company, after all. Chanyeol feels a little disappointed all the same –but he will deny that he had been brewing hopes of spending a bit more time with Baekhyun, and maybe having another enjoyable, long conversation tomorrow night. Maybe they will meet again in the woods one day, or maybe their friendship was simply never meant to be. Presently, he had better focus on his own journey because, heavens know, is he lost…

Chanyeol blinks against the sunlight, stepping around the rosier branches, carefully picked aside to make room for one to pass. He vaguely remembers growing them across the entire entrance last night, which means Baekhyun must have parted them to leave –he was half asleep at the time but he still feels a little guilty for not thinking ahead; Baekhyun hadn’t ought to stay with him longer than the passing of the storm but Chanyeol blocked the only access to the outside world anyway. He tries not to think about the scratches Baekhyun must have acquired from the wild thorns, his hands surely ending up more injured than the respectfully treated branches, but he ends up doing just that, fueling his guilt further.

Sitting on the rocks by the entrance to the cave, Chanyeol busies himself with his map, once pristine and new when Chen gave it to him, but now a little worn. He tries to guess where he is, based on the sun’s position and the landscape, adding to his efforts whatever he can recall from last night, even though the storm has drenched most of his memory too, rendering it useless. Thankfully, the weather is much better today, the sun bright and the atmosphere clear, pleasantly cool after a night’s worth of rain. He thinks he has pinned down the general area he is in, when suddenly a cheerful voice calls out to him.

“Chanyeol!” it sounds very clear and bright, like the weather. Chanyeol’s head snaps up in surprise, and he easily spots Baekhyun coming out of the forest on his right. He is wearing the spare cloak Chanyeol gave him, which looks adorably larger than him and flares behind him as he swiftly crosses the distance. “I found strawberries” he announces merrily, presenting his hands in front of Chanyeol, full of sweet, red hearts. He looks so proud of himself, like he has found gold. Chanyeol can’t help but give him an easy, wide smile; Baekhyun’s happiness is contagious.

It doesn’t cross his mind that his fangs are clearly showing, or that Baekhyun seems unfazed by them, or that Baekhyun’s hands cradling the strawberries are perfectly smooth and unharmed, even though he must have gone through the thorns. All across Chanyeol’s mind bells are ringing, relieved that Baekhyun came back, excited to see him again, happy because he is so happy, fond because he looks so cute.

But Baekhyun’s happiness quickly diminishes when his gaze falls on Chanyeol’s lap, his smile fading completely, the expression in his eyes turning surprised and hurt.

“Your map” he states simply, as if talking to himself more than anything else. Chanyeol had forgotten all about it from the moment Baekhyun appeared, his hands now clutching at the incriminating evidence nervously. Baekhyun sounds small and disappointed, nothing like his previous bright self. Chanyeol feels incredibly guilty for ruining his mood, even more so because Baekhyun had looked excited to share his strawberries and some time with him. He gives the map a long, sad look and then he lifts his eyes to Chanyeol again, looking uncertain and a little distressed. “You’re leaving?” he mumbles tentatively, a betrayed, sorrowful tone underlying his words. Chanyeol’s chest constricts at the pout on Baekhyun’s lips. Had Baekhyun been late to show up, he would have left, unknowingly abandoning Baekhyun and crushing his hope; he knows a little too well how awful that feels.

“I found where we are” he answers instead, folding the map and leaving it aside –he doesn’t mention that they are miles away from where he was supposed to be this morning.

Baekhyun’s eyes shift back and forth, from the map to Chanyeol anxiously, hesitating to ask the question they both know is on his mind. He is _expecting_ to be rejected and brokenhearted, Chanyeol can see it on everything about him, and he can’t bear it. Baekhyun is an innocent lonely soul, and Chanyeol’s own beaten and broken, lone soul calls out to him, begging him not to hurt Baekhyun. He wouldn’t be able to live with himself if he did.

“We should…go this way” he instructs, trying to sound collected but his voice comes out halted and nervous due to the knots that tie in his stomach. He hopes the use of a tentative ‘we’ hasn’t gone unnoticed. He wouldn’t mind if Baekhyun tagged along for a while; they could keep each other company and become a little better acquainted. Maybe he can solve small parts of Baekhyun’s puzzle and find a friend in him. He can’t offer much, but he can gladly offer his company, and that means a lot to stray, abandoned souls like them. If anyone, he would know.

He keeps his eyes trained on Baekhyun, waiting for a reaction, his mouth dry and his heart palpitating uneasily in his chest. He is not used to reaching out to people –and whenever he happened to do so in the past, it always ended badly. But Baekhyun is different, he is worth making an effort for; and it’s the first time Chanyeol is so open but not afraid of being hurt, even if he is rejected. He is sure Baekhyun wouldn’t hurt him; he feels appreciated, safe and calm when he is with him, a rejection can’t take that away. He feels close to Baekhyun in spite of knowing him so little, perhaps because of their shared loneliness. The least he can do is bring one more smile on the man’s lips.

Baekhyun frowns in puzzlement, his disappointed pout remaining for a moment, but when he figures Chanyeol’s intension, he suddenly lights up, his eyes widening and his expression transforming to a hopeful, astounded look.

“I can come?” he guesses, but still sounds uncertain. Chanyeol’s lips crack a small, meaningful smile in answer, words lost on him, and that’s when Baekhyun really realizes the offer, his lips blooming into a beautiful, wide smile of sheer glee, his eyes nearly disappearing in luminous crescents. It’s as if the world has unraveled in magnificent sparks; Chanyeol hasn’t seen anyone so radiant before, his heart beating madly in his chest.

This is not a rejection by any means.

“I’m lost anyway” Baekhyun accepts in a light voice, after they have spent a while smiling stupidly at each other. He giggles, shrugging one shoulder cutely, the smile never leaving his lips, and Chanyeol chuckles, strawberries forgotten.

_This is the beginning of a beautiful friendship._

~~~

One day turns to several days, which turn to a week, which turns to a longer time, but Chanyeol doesn’t want to count anymore –he is a timeless creature anyway, ageless and immortal, with infinite time at his disposal. The days blend into each other nicely when he is with Baekhyun, like sparkles on water that reflect too close to one another to tell them apart. In certain moments, when Baekhyun is happy and excited, or Chanyeol is peaceful and relaxed, Chanyeol absently thinks that he could spend an eternity like this.

They enjoy each day to the fullest and expect the following days to be spent as brightly in each other’s company; they don’t talk of parting ways, saying goodbye being the last thing on their minds. It’s a moment in the future that seems distant, and they both choose to let it be, if it ever privately bothers them; it appears for seconds in one strained smile on Baekhyun’s lips, or in Chanyeol’s longing gaze, before it’s gone. Chanyeol doesn’t want the looming claws of time on him and Baekhyun, because their touch might taint the precious memories they create together.

Time is not the only measure against them, however; the distance can be stretched only so much until they will finally reach the end of the woods, no matter how many maneuvers Chanyeol can fit in the meantime. They go in obvious circles sometimes or walk opposite of where they are supposed to, but neither mentions anything. Chanyeol sometimes talks to Baekhyun about his original plans for this journey, at Baekhyun’s request, even though he doesn’t like thinking about eventually leaving him behind. Baekhyun seems more interested in the map, showing a world he has never seen outside of the woods, conveniently remaining silent on the rest –he really hates that map.

They grow close like opposite magnets, naturally drawing each other in without hesitation. They spend every second in each other’s company, always walking close and gradually sitting and sleeping beside each other by the fire. The importance of physical distance and personal space diminishes the closer they grow.

Chanyeol notices many little things about Baekhyun in such proximity; the way he walks lazily like a cat when the weather is nice, the way he fiddles with his fingers when he is unsure of something, the way he sighs in his sleep, or that he looks exceptionally good beside blue flowers. He even finds a way to detect his elusive presence, after many painstaking efforts, by picking up his scent; it’s very discreet and natural, which is why he couldn’t detect it ever before, but now he can recognize the faint hint of roses in the air around Baekhyun.

Baekhyun probably notices Chanyeol the most, often staring at him and watching the way he moves, or listening to him attentively when he speaks; Chanyeol doesn’t know why Baekhyun finds him so fascinating but he is too introverted to ask. There is only one moment of tension between them, when Baekhyun noticed that the taller has no shadow. Baekhyun simply states his observation one day, out of the blue, completely unfazed and straightforward; Chanyeol was startled, naturally dreading that this conversation might lead to his vampire descent. But then Baekhyun went on to share that he doesn’t have a reflection, just as conversationally, and that was the end of discussion. The small fact he shares about himself, however, privately troubles Chanyeol; what creature doesn’t have a reflection? He has wondered about Baekhyun before, but this once he gets distracted, thinking that it’s a pity a man as beautiful doesn’t know _just_ how beautiful he is.

The ongoing companionship that forms between them is profoundly characterized by unconditional, unspoken acceptance. Baekhyun accepts Chanyeol in a strange way, because he accepts him in _every_ way. He sees him melancholic and optimistic, tired and excited, and he always understands, as if he has some sort of gift for that purpose. Chanyeol feels free to be himself around him, and he admits that often times he is reckless, smiling openly with his fangs on display or running unnaturally fast and jumping impressively high. Even then, Baekhyun understands; he smiles back at Chanyeol as if his smile is a wondrous sight, he does his best to keep up with him –and he succeeds fairly well, for whatever his species might be. All that, he does without ever asking questions, accommodating him as if he already knows.

Chanyeol doesn’t ask questions either. He doesn’t really need to. Everything Baekhyun does only serves to convince Chanyeol that Baekhyun is one of the most beautiful and genuine people he will ever meet. He feels comfortable around Baekhyun, safe. It might be a little confusing that he feels so close to Baekhyun without really knowing many things about him, but he trusts him unreservedly; it’s one of the many things he can’t explain.

Baekhyun is a philosopher. He likes talking about reality and its parallels, teaching Chanyeol better than any teacher before. There are material somethings, things of substance and existence, like flowers, and material nothings, things of substance without existence, which coexist in the world. There are immaterial somethings, like thoughts, which connect the other two, and immaterial nothings, like fate, that no one can access. It’s hard to understand the flimsy differences sometimes, but Baekhyun is patient and he always answers Chanyeol’s questions –even though he seems a little uncomfortable explaining immaterial somethings for some reason.

Their personalities combine interestingly, like curved lines that sometimes touch and other times curve apart creating beautiful patterns. They can both laugh obnoxiously loud, and they laugh even louder at themselves when they find out. They both have a childish innocence, getting excited over little things, and they are both insecure about some sides of themselves, but they are very supportive and protective of each other. Baekhyun was lonely and Chanyeol was alone before they found each other; a comfortable bond forms between them so soon, and it’s something preciously rare for Chanyeol. It doesn’t feel superficial or impersonal, in spite of it being so young; it touches something deep inside him and that feels comforting.

He feels so much like a child, exploring the world with Baekhyun; he thought he had outgrown his fascination after the impossible things his eyes have seen, and that his awkward childish sides would have subsided with maturity. Yet he still fumbles in fluster when Baekhyun compliments him or shows his interest and care. He thought he had grown cold and numb to emotional signals, but Baekhyun proves him wrong, teaching him how to feel affection and warmth, and little ways to express it, forging a strong connection between them.

Chanyeol is feeling better, about himself and his purpose in the universe. Baekhyun has broadened his view on reality, and his observations make Chanyeol feel more certain that there is a place for him out there. He once again forgives the people who raised him to believe otherwise; his place was not beside them, and even though they could have shown compassion, the fact remains that they only wanted what was best for everyone, or at least what they thought was best, so they kept showing him that he was out of place with every opportunity. We each know only our part of reality. He feels closer to the man he could be from now on, distancing himself from the insecure duckling that left the city; even the hatred and neglect of its people couldn’t fill with guilt what is innocent, and Chanyeol’s soul is still pure, no matter what they always thought.

Baekhyun is incredible in many ways; he knows things that most people ignore, and yet he is oblivious of parts in common sense. He is insightful, but also naïve –and it’s an endearing combination. Chanyeol finds out –the hard way– that Baekhyun also has an inexplicable affinity for predicting the weather; the first time he warned Chanyeol that it would rain in the evening, the latter dismissed him in favor of the bright sun of the morning, and in return they both got drenched by nightfall. Baekhyun insists the rain sings as the drops fall, serenading their last moments before they reach ground; Chanyeol listens closely on a rainy evening, but he doesn’t find the rhythmic pitter patter melodious at all. Unfortunately, Baekhyun can’t educate him further, because he claims he doesn’t know the song.

The longer time they spend together, the closer they grow, but Baekhyun remains mindful of Chanyeol, as if the latter is made of glass –even though he is all but that. He doesn’t inconvenience him unless he really needs something, like his spare coat to sleep in because he gets cold easily. He also doesn’t touch Chanyeol without permission, even when the latter offers him his hand to take; but, when he has other things on his mind, Baekhyun forgets himself and gives Chanyeol natural little touches. Chanyeol is not used to being touched, but he discovers he doesn’t mind Baekhyun’s hands on him; they feel soothing and reassuring, as if confirming the closeness he feels too.

~~~

Chanyeol feels it for the first time when they are walking down a short slope. It’s a slippery trek, moss and stray roots covering the piles of rocks stacked in narrow spaces between the trees, with dandelions sprouting in random patterns. It is one of their quiet moments; Chanyeol leads the way minding the uneven ground, his senses lulled by the sound of the wind tickling the ivy leaves and the scent of star-shaped white flowers growing around the rocks. Baekhyun is following him quietly, his light heartbeat humming steadily on the edge of Chanyeol’s consciousness; he has grown accustomed to it by now, absentmindedly focusing on it and connecting the beats like searching the melody of a song in them.

It is a peaceful moment, one of many in the forest –until Chanyeol feels it. It appears unwontedly and unexpectedly inside him; a touch of concern, a hint of delight and a tranquil contentment, _none of which belong to Chanyeol_. He stutters at the foreign assortment of emotions, which might be similar to his, but he is certain they don’t belong to him. And yet, he feels them so vividly under his skin, he can identify them specifically, even through his rising panic.

Being an unconventional being, Chanyeol has had many unusual and perplexing experiences in his life, seeing things that others cannot imagine, hearing things that should be silent, feeling things that don’t have substance. He can _read souls_ for heaven’s sake, and that is extraordinary enough; but he has never felt something that doesn’t belong to him before.

He takes a breath and tries to remain composed, ignoring the feeling of his heart rate spiking abnormally; his experience has taught him to stay calm during unfamiliar, intimidating situations in his body, otherwise his senses go berserk trying to save him from a danger that might exist only in his head. He also wouldn’t want to worry Baekhyun over something that might prove to be trivial, like a malfunction in his perception. He looks around with frantic eyes, trying to look inconspicuous while searching for any possible source for these foreign feelings that follow him in every step.

He only succeeds in finding out that this is different from all he knows, just like he suspected; he can read souls if he is looking at someone, but he can feel this without even looking at something in specific. His stomach twists uncomfortably at the prolonged mysterious experience. _Where is it coming from, how do I-?_

The answer comes in the form of a tiny content sigh from behind him, which would have gone unnoticed, blending with the wind, if Chanyeol weren’t as alert. But now it strikes like lightning in the desert, aligning with the foreign feelings perfectly. And maybe they’re not so foreign anymore. He stops in place and blinks in surprise, blankly staring at the rocks and white flowers ahead of him in disbelief. _Could it be…Baekhyun?_

In all their days and nights together, Chanyeol has never read Baekhyun –he knows better than reading any creature he comes across without warning, and it never felt right to read Baekhyun, at least not without permission, even when he is being his cryptic and confusing self. Chanyeol doesn’t know the colors of Baekhyun’s soul and he never needed to read his emotions –Baekhyun is always very honest in his expression of them, it’s the only aspect in which he is completely transparent. But there is no other life form near them that can harbor such a complex combination of feelings; it must be him.

He shouldn’t, he really shouldn’t encourage it; he should _stop_ , he has already crossed the line, reading Baekhyun, even if he doesn’t know how he’s doing it and he had never meant to. But he can’t help lingering, enjoying it while it lasts; he nearly purrs at the soft emotions caressing his consciousness pleasantly, seducing his attention. It’s so strange; it feels like seeing something lazily swirling through a glass wall; he can’t touch it, but he feels it clearly. The more he lingers on it, the more he thinks he has felt glimpses of it in the past few days as well, in stolen moments of this guilty pleasure. He always wrote it off afterwards, as general mood reading, as empathy. This time, however, it’s more intense and clear; he can’t mistake or ignore this.

_I can feel…what Baekhyun feels?_

In one split second while his attention is focused inwards rather than outwards, his mind foggy with thoughts and feelings, he slips on the rock and the ground tilts. He is falling. As the air swishes in his ears and gravity pulls him in all the wrong ways, he begrudgingly thinks his clumsiness never left him since his teenage years. He doesn’t have time to adjust or block his fall, as his body tumbles down between the trees and dives into the meadow at the base of the hill –he earns sharp stabs of pain in all odd places on the way, but thankfully, the area he lands is clear of hard rocks, grass cushioning his body.

“Aw” he groans under his breath, mentally checking his body for any misplaced pain –he doesn’t dare open his eyes yet. Other than his dignity, he feels mostly unharmed or healing, some gushes on his hands and one on his temple stinging the most. He is sure the bruises will take a few days to heal, but his internal organs feel unscathed at least –they take the longest time to heal. He cracks his eyes open tentatively, still feeling dazed from the unfamiliar emotions and the sudden fall, and the rocks he just trapezed over greet him mockingly. Baekhyun looks horrified for a split second before he dashes down the hill and he is kneeling next to Chanyeol in a heartbeat.

“Are you okay? Are you hurt?” he asks frantically, voice pitched in concern. He looks more distressed than Chanyeol has ever seen him, eyes impossibly wide and distraught, face pale, lips gaping in shock. The feelings behind the glass swirl anxiously, nudging against him. _Why is this happening, why doesn’t it stop?_ Chanyeol idly watches the dandelion fluffs his fall detached from the stems floating around Baekhyun’s face. _He is beautiful._

Receiving no immediate answer, Baekhyun’s brows twist in a worried frown, and his eyes scan Chanyeol’s body quickly from head to toe; the taller is sure he looks whole, despite his spectacular fall and awkward angle on the ground. He is still too disoriented to answer though. Baekhyun’s eyes return to his face, still agitated, and they focus on the smudge of blood on Chanyeol’s temple sharply. His expression turns crestfallen for some reason.

“Does that hurt?” he asks softly in a husky voice, his lips pouting forlornly. He reaches out and touches Chanyeol’s temple with delicate fingers, and the foreign feelings that have been invading Chanyeol disappear in an instant. The touch is soft and careful; Baekhyun must have been very worried. Chanyeol’s cheeks flush in embarrassment, realizing how silly he must have looked, and his heart beats a little faster due to Baekhyun’s fond superintendence. Chanyeol is not used to someone being worried for him.

“It has already healed, hasn’t it?” he tries to lighten up the mood with a small chuckle, ignoring his mild headache. His grin draws Baekhyun’s eyes to his own. The shorter gives him a skeptical look. “I heal fast” Chanyeol admits quietly, feeling tingles all over the edges of his body, because he is confident Baekhyun has wiped away the remnants of blood over the healed wound by now, but his fingers still stroke against Chanyeol’s temple and tangle in his hair soothingly, contradicting his strict glare. There is affection lurking in the way he treats Chanyeol, even when the latter is being an oversized clumsy idiot who scared him to the end of his wits just a moment ago.

Chanyeol corrects himself; the feelings haven’t disappeared. They are right there, on Baekhyun.

“Are you hurt anywhere else?” Baekhyun asks patiently, his voice pacifying what little fright remained from Chanyeol’s unexpected fall. Chanyeol shakes his head meekly, but he soon regrets it, because the move causes Baekhyun to realize that his hand is still in Chanyeol’s hair and he pulls it away, as if burnt. He didn’t have to pull away, Chanyeol was not uncomfortable; it actually felt kind of nice and comforting. But Baekhyun is too strict with himself sometimes and Chanyeol is too shy to convince him otherwise.

Chanyeol forgets to pick his limbs off the ground and simply lays on the grass, not caring to move unless Baekhyun wants to. Baekhyun forgets to put distance between them and stays rooted beside him, one arm bridged over Chanyeol’s torso to support his weight on the other side. They usually don’t stay so close for so long –unless they’re sleeping in confined spaces. Chanyeol thought he’d be uncomfortable, but it feels…nice. It’s even nicer that he gets to stare at all the little details on Baekhyun’s face, he thinks, and that their exchange feels a little intimate after years of cold and barren distance between himself and every other creature.

“Why are you giving me that look?” Baekhyun questions, an amused glint shining distantly in his calm eyes. Chanyeol feels blood pooling in his cheeks, but he is too comfortable to look away in awkwardness; he has no idea what sort of expression he had been sporting while gazing at Baekhyun, partly because that doesn’t seem to matter much between them. Baekhyun is always giving him all sorts of sincere looks, some so tender that Chanyeol feels his ears warm up in response without even knowing why he deserves such a look in the first place. Even now, Baekhyun’s eyes are incredibly soft and sweet.

“I don’t know. I mean…” Chanyeol mumbles, hunting down the words in his mind and voicing them with effort, significantly more than stunned by Baekhyun’s ethereal beauty. The light casted through the foliage overhead in soft, golden beams makes him look even more dreamlike. His hair looks like black silk framing his face, his skin is smooth and pale like ivory velvet, creating a nice canvas for his features. Chanyeol’s eyes follow the cute slope of his nose and the curve of his cheekbones, the sharp angle of his jaw, all the way to the hollow behind his ears, and then back to his pouty lips, thin but adorably shaped, with a tiny mole on the side.

“You have strange eyes” his deep voice purrs out without permission, his mind enchanted by Baekhyun’s unique beauty. It’s not the first time he has noticed Baekhyun’s strange eyes, but his attention is always captured by their expressiveness rather than their color. Baekhyun’s calm gaze wavers, his eyes widening a fraction, and then he promptly looks away, breaking their intense eye contact in a blink.

“Maybe I do” he murmurs, eyes downcast. He sounds small and self-deprecating, a pout curving his lips downwards. He looks insecure, his fingers picking on the grass begrudgingly; he keeps his eyes away from Chanyeol, as if he is trying to protect himself that way. He is hiding in his shell like an awkward turtle, but he doesn’t try to distance himself from Chanyeol, trusting him so much as to stay around him even when he is uncomfortable.

When he sees Baekhyun’s reaction, Chanyeol instantly feels awful for his unfiltered thoughts, coming so vague out of his mouth. He didn’t mean to offend Baekhyun; on the contrary, he finds his unusual eyes strikingly beautiful, like the rest of him. Chanyeol is not used to paying people compliments any more than receiving them; he makes inexperienced mistakes like this sometimes, but Baekhyun never holds them against him –which is why he thinks this reaction says more about Baekhyun than of Chanyeol’s social ineptness. It wouldn’t be surprising if Baekhyun is insecure about his eyes. Chanyeol has always been very insecure of his own unnatural burgundy eyes, so he can imagine how uncomfortable it must be to live with heterochromia.

“Can I…have a look?” he says timidly, probing very carefully around the subject. He is prepared to accept his guilt if Baekhyun decides he is too uncomfortable to look at him right now and moves away, but he doesn’t think Baekhyun will do that; he has gazed into Chanyeol’s eyes without shying away countless times, no different than he had been doing a moment ago. Baekhyun frowns in confusion, glancing at Chanyeol once fleetingly before looking to the ground again. “I feel like I don’t really see you when I look at you, because your eyes are always a missing detail in my thoughts” he confesses, hoping his sincerity will convince Baekhyun to trust him again.

It definitely tempts him to do so, because Baekhyun gives Chanyeol another glance, thoughtful and calculative. Chanyeol tries to keep his composure, hints of guilt already gnawing at him and turning in his stomach –if only he hadn’t said that, if only Baekhyun weren’t insecure because of him, if only he could take it back or properly express his thoughts.

“You can look at me, if you want” Baekhyun relents tentatively after a while, shyly turning his gaze to Chanyeol again until they are looking into each other’s eyes. And Chanyeol feels stunned all over again, looking at that strange pair of eyes, each with different color. Baekhyun’s right eye is grey, a metallic silver that looks like silk in the shadow of his dark lashes. His left eye is deep blue, glassy like a polished gemstone, contrasting his fair skin and black hair. They are equally attractive, strange but well suited and alluring, so mysterious and yet so open. Under their spell, Chanyeol doesn’t notice his hand reaching out in an attempt to touch Baekhyun’s mystical beauty, but he stops himself just in time, his hand freezing midair. Baekhyun’s eyes are still inviting him closer, but he can’t.

“Oh, sorry” he mumbles, mortification cascading down on him. He turns his head away abruptly, trying to hide his blush and giving a semblance of space back to Baekhyun, inwardly chastising himself for his impulsive act. What was he trying to do? He would have made Baekhyun uncomfortable again, all because of a whim he can’t even describe. He is shocked and disappointed in himself for losing his self control like this; Baekhyun trusts him enough to let him come so close and bare his insecurities for him, Chanyeol cannot allow himself to violate his trust. What was he even thinking? He clears his throat awkwardly “Let’s go? We should find shelter for the night” he proposes, his voice coming out almost abnormally casual.

Baekhyun leans aside without another word, letting Chanyeol move freely, the shuffling noise uncharacteristically prominent in the silence. The taller rises from the ground, dusting off his clothes and shaking leafy bits out of his hair, without looking at Baekhyun at all. Maybe if he did, he would have seen the disappointment in Baekhyun’s expression, the unfulfilled expectation. The silence stretches between them like the leather of a drum, dully idle with the sounds of nature around them. Chanyeol feels responsible for it, even though he is not sure why Baekhyun is so quiet –since he is not looking his way–, but he can’t find something to say either.

“Chanyeol, look” Baekhyun calls surprisingly, a trace of excitement in his voice. Chanyeol turns around not knowing what to expect, because he originally thought Baekhyun would be distant because of him, so he cannot imagine what the shorter has managed to find worth sharing so soon, overcoming his discomfort. He has certainly forgiven Chanyeol though, if the wide smile he presents him with is anything to go by. Chanyeol relaxes too, letting out a breath he didn’t know he had been holding. Baekhyun extends his hand towards him, showcasing an elegant, green mantis sitting comfortably on his pointer finger, about the same size. “A tree monster” Baekhyun says, giggling to himself and at the innocent insect.

Chanyeol bites his lip, chuckling at him despite himself.

~~~

The forest has been particularly welcoming and beautiful today, abundant sunlight making all the meadows bloom to their petals’ content and casting a soft haze over the snug paths between the clusters of trees. There is a hypnotic game of light and shadows chasing on the ground, much like the energetic forest animals, who seem more outgoing today and less reserved in the presence of the two travelers. It sets a cheerful mood, the twittering of the birds, little yips and shuffling following them as they pass. The chatter of nature around them feels familiar and the air is warm, comfortable enough to spend the night in open air.

The bright weather seems to get under Baekhyun’s skin, and he talks more today, adding wild gestures of his hands when he gets excited and making various –cute– facial expressions while he narrates an almost traumatic encounter with a turtle; Chanyeol’s laughter echoes in the idyllic scenery around them, and Baekhyun’s smile is so dazzling in response that Chanyeol swears he can see a halo. It really does feel different now, every time Chanyeol looks at Baekhyun, reading the color of his eyes and holding his gaze more confidently. His eyes suit the rest of Baekhyun just fine; unusual, honest and beautiful. Chanyeol has never seen someone with different eyes before, since it is an uncommon incidence for all species, but he doubts anyone has ever looked as hauntingly alluring with such eyes. The more he unravels Baekhyun, the more fascinated he feels, and Chanyeol can’t help but wonder _what_ he is.

But he thinks he knows.

They have claimed a little clearing on the slope of a hill for the night, a small nook of peace and warmth, only a little wider than they need to. The grass is soft underneath their bodies, fresh blades tickling any exposed skin. The view is partly obscured by trees, covered in moss and purple little flowers that grow on the rough wrinkles of the bark. All the rest blends into jade foliage after foliage, sparsely dotted with ephemeral flowers that scatter in the wind, leaving fresh leaves behind. The view of the sky is unhindered and the final sunrays of the day are floating over the branches, illuminating the spaces between them and casting a gentle, cascading glow on Baekhyun beside him.

Looking at Baekhyun is fascinating for some reason, and Chanyeol has been staring more than he would like to admit. He tries to keep himself in check most of the time and allows his eyes to gaze at Baekhyun only at night, when the latter is oblivious, shrouded in sleep. It is becoming increasingly difficult to break the habit of staring at him in daylight though, and Chanyeol knows it’s a matter of time till he is caught red handed, but the risk seems worth taking for some reason, when Baekhyun looks so content and relaxed.

“It’s going to be a beautiful night” Baekhyun says, sprawled on his back, watching the twilight paint the clouds purple. They have settled early for the night, opting to enjoy the transient sky, dressing in gold and coral, then pink and red, softly fading to lilac and blue. The air is clear and the sky light blue on the horizon, blending into soft purple and then turning pale before the sun diminishes. There is only the evening star shining in the sky, and it looks so much more majestic against the pale, deep colors.

“You like the stars, don’t you?” Chanyeol’s lips curl fondly when Baekhyun’s profile transforms into a smile –he knew he’d smile, and _oh_ , Chanyeol’s heart squirms when Baekhyun is smiling happily.

“I love them” Baekhyun says softly, as if he is talking about the most precious thing he has, extending one arm to the sky and tracing patterns in the air with his index finger, like he is writing something on the clouds.

Baekhyun is a riddle, the kind that gets more confusing and more beautiful the closer you look, and even unsolved, he is a masterpiece. Chanyeol doesn’t need to solve him, but he often thinks he wants to.

There are hints in Baekhyun’s appearance that Chanyeol can’t help but notice, because they distinctly resemble himself; the paleness of his skin and his lithe frame, his perceptive eyes and sharp, slightly longer canines. He has a hypnotizing fluidity in his movements and the aura he exudes is one of effortless temptation. His stamina is admirable and his senses are sharper than other species’ average. Chanyeol thinks he detects softly pointed ears whenever Baekhyun’s hair falls back in his sleep, and he has unusual eyes, a signature for one certain predator species.

Nothing is definitive, nothing is enough to convince Chanyeol about anything, but it’s enough to make him suspect that Baekhyun is in part vampire, like himself. It wouldn’t be impossible for him to be half elf too, exactly like Chanyeol, from one of the clans who reside in the woods, but that would be too far for his wishful thinking -there has been no such connotation in Baekhyun’s behavior. Even if Baekhyun is something completely different, however, no matter what he might really be, nothing would change for Chanyeol. Baekhyun is Baekhyun, and so he will be. He is certain of that, and that’s why he thinks he is ready to ask.

“Baekhyun…” he calls quietly, little more than a whisper, and Baekhyun hums absentmindedly, his lips still smiling at the sky. Chanyeol takes a breath –and yes, he is certain that Baekhyun will mean the same to him, he will always be the peaceful feeling in Chanyeol’s heart, the crescent eyesmiles that shine more than the moon, the person who has been the kindest to him all his life, a precious and irreplaceable friend. “We haven’t known each other for long, but I feel like I’ve known you all my life” he says calmly, triggering Baekhyun’s curiosity; the smaller turns to look at him with his eyebrows creased in confusion. Chanyeol doesn’t stop, even though he rambles a little; if he stops now, he’ll never do this. “And it feels like you’ve known me all my life, too. You never ask questions, it’s like you already _know_ ; and normally, I wouldn’t ask this, but…what are you?”

The question falls to silence. Chanyeol clutches at every thread of composure he can find in his body as he looks at Baekhyun in the eyes, waiting patiently for _any_ answer Baekhyun might give him. Baekhyun returns his gaze with troubled eyes, lips slightly slack in surprise.

“Chanyeol, I-” he starts, blinking rapidly a few times to shake off his daze; Chanyeol holds his breath. Baekhyun exhales. “It’s complicated” he mumbles, his gaze dropping to Chanyeol’s neck. There is disappointment perched on Baekhyun’s brows and sadness in his eyes, but his lips stay firmly shut. He looks regretful but unrelenting in keeping his lips sealed. Chanyeol had guessed this wouldn’t be easy; no matter how comfortable they feel around each other, there are sensitive topics that they might talk about with difficulty. And he is prepared to try again, this time a little differently.

“Are we…the same?” he asks, biting his lip. He perfectly understands how Baekhyun feels in being reluctant to talk about himself in certain aspects, because he feels exactly the same. It’s not easy for him to share that he is half vampire, something he always had to keep like a dirty secret that everyone knows. Even with Baekhyun, who is so supportive and kind to him, it feels dangerous to admit; but he has faith in Baekhyun, he trusts him, and he won’t hide. He is willing to make the first step. “Where I come from, being what I am is the worst thing that can happen” Chanyeol continues when Baekhyun finally lifts his eyes and looks at him. “I’m built to protect _and_ take life; I’m half elf, half vampire.” It’s the first time he’s ever said it out loud. Baekhyun’s eyes soften. Chanyeol’s heart twinges painfully in his chest. “People think I’m unnatural; I’m unwanted” he stops for a much needed breath, his throat tightening, his eyesight blurring a little with unshed tears. He could never get used to this feeling, it’s the same as when he was a child, a wound that doesn’t heal.

Cold fingers skitter over the centimeters of grass separating the two bodies and touch Chanyeol’s hand. They nimbly coax their way into Chanyeol’s hold, gracefully tangling with his warm fingers until they are interlaced, and then they squeeze comfortingly. Chanyeol feels a little better, but he keeps biting his lower lip to hold back the tears, currently unable to speak properly. He is the most vulnerable he’s ever been but he feels safe in Baekhyun’s presence.

“You’ve said I’m strange…” Baekhyun mumbles after a while, his eyes a little glassy too. Chanyeol can only look at him as the smaller frowns a little “but that’s not…bad, right?” he asks, voice hopeful. He is searching into Chanyeol’s eyes for an answer, and Chanyeol doesn’t know if he is asking for himself or for Chanyeol’s sake.

Baekhyun is strange, but he is never bad. Chanyeol is strange too, but he’s always thought he is bad. He grew up in rejection and disgust, amidst a crowd that refused to see him, unless they had to point a finger at him. He was too small to believe in himself, too scared of being the monster they thought he was, so he kept himself imprisoned in an unliving life. He had to lie, even to himself, and he had to endure the insults and contempt, even pity from others. He used to spend every day of his life hiding his true self. But, even if Baekhyun is half vampire too, he has never been bad, like Chanyeol. Baekhyun is transparent. He is a mystery but he is always honest; he doesn’t hide, he doesn’t lie. He is not broken.

The tear that escapes Chanyeol’s eye falls to the ground, following the previous ones. His eyes have overflowed and he is crying silently, only endless tears and wobbling lips. Baekhyun keeps his eyes on him through it all, bravely looking on at the broken sides of Chanyeol and not flinching away from their cold and ugly, jagged edges. The tear that escapes him falls on the grass too soon to be noticed, and he keeps supporting Chanyeol, comforting him by squeezing his hand or rubbing circles with his thumb against it soothingly. Time passes and the twilight is deep when Chanyeol feels a little calmer and a little spent, more stars twinkling above them, when Baekhyun speaks.

“I…” he begins uncertainly, yet determined to say whatever it is he wants to share. After days with him, Chanyeol recognizes this look; it’s the same every time Baekhyun tentatively shares something about himself. “I know things. Many things that sometimes seem odd, even to myself. But I haven’t really…learnt them for myself; I just know things. And I don’t have much experience of the world. I’ve spent most of my life in the woods, and I don’t know much about the outside; with you, I’ve learnt more than you’d think” he admits, lowering his eyes bashfully to look at their linked hands. “I know it means comfort or affection, but I’ve never held anyone’s hand before” he mumbles. It’s Chanyeol’s turn to squeeze his hand. Baekhyun blinks away his thoughtful trance, remembering one more thing to say. “I can also…I sense the sky” there is no hesitation before he says it, only a small difficulty with words, like it happens sometimes when he is trying to explain something difficult.

“That’s how you always know the weather?” Chanyeol chuckles with a little humor, his tears dry on his cheeks. Part of him thinks that he should not be reacting this way, treating something as unusual and foreign as Baekhyun so calmly and casually. But honestly, he can’t imagine himself reacting in any other way. He is inclined to accept Baekhyun, kind of unconditionally, so he doesn’t see a point in being shocked or awkward.

Baekhyun chuckles weakly too, his eyes wide and a little incredulous, probably surprised that Chanyeol is taking this so well. “Um, yes something like that” he mumbles, and then a more thoughtful look overtakes his face. He looks like he is debating something for a few moments. “I also know you can control fire” he says then, sounding timid, as if he is not sure he should be saying this. Chanyeol’s heart thuds a little louder once. “And I don’t mean you can manipulate it with chants, I mean you can tamper its whole existence”

_That is…surprisingly accurate._

“How do you know about that?” he asks warily, his eyes wide in surprise and guarded. What else could Baekhyun know? Chanyeol has been very careful every time he lights up a fire for them, pretending to whisper chants, like any other elf would do. Chanyeol’s affinity with fire is another _unnatural_ thing about him, something he inherited with his vampire blood. Baekhyun doesn’t reciprocate Chanyeol’s skeptical mood, staying meek and open instead.

“I’m good with sensing realities” he reminds Chanyeol; now that he thinks about it, Baekhyun _does_ look for material nothings after all. If his perception of reality is sensitive enough to do that, sensing Chanyeol creating fire out of nothing should be possible. Chanyeol relaxes again, feeling assured that there is no danger from Baekhyun; he must have known for a while, but he never said anything or showed suspicion. It doesn’t change anything now. Baekhyun bites his lip. “I can feel you doing it and…I’ve been watching you” he murmurs the last part through his lips, so quietly that Chanyeol is not sure he heard it right. Baekhyun doesn’t elaborate either, turning his eyes to their hands again and pouting, his cheeks flushing shyly.

Chanyeol clears his throat to dispel the self-conscious feeling that threatens to paint his cheeks too. “Um, _if_ all that means we’re…the same, do you…hunt?” he asks, terribly nervous and worried that he might be crossing a delicate line with this question. Baekhyun might get mad at him, feel like he is taking advantage of his honesty, or he might be offended, if he thinks Chanyeol is falsely accusing him of being a monster.

Beyond the need to clarify this uncertain point, however, there is one more need Chanyeol has in mind, and that is his thirst. He hasn’t been on a hunt since he met Baekhyun and the feeling is starting to turn uncomfortable to the point it is distracting. So, even if Baekhyun is not a vampire, even if he doesn’t hunt and finds it appalling that Chanyeol drinks blood, maybe, _hopefully_ , he can understand that Chanyeol needs to leave him for a while at some point to go on a hunt in the woods. Baekhyun doesn’t seem fazed in the slightest by Chanyeol’s question though.

“I can survive long intervals without it; but yes, I hunt too” he answers quietly, giving Chanyeol a steady and patient gaze. Chanyeol feels a little flustered all of a sudden; a big question has been inadvertently answered. He now realizes that he had been prepared for any answer, but he was the least prepared for an answer that would confirm his suspicions. _Baekhyun is a…_ Chanyeol tries to keep his composure, in spite of his heart thundering in his throat, and nods in understanding.

 _So, he_ is _a vampire, in part at least. Baekhyun is a vampire hybrid._

But he is still the same Baekhyun.

“I haven’t hunted in a while, so I should…” Chanyeol trails off, trying to keep their conversation flowing, but he still leaves his sentence unfinished, certain that the rest goes without saying. He looks around uncertainly, flustered as to what he should say, not sure if he should ask Baekhyun or not. But Baekhyun answers anyway.

“Let’s go tomorrow?” he suggests easily.

~~~

He doesn’t let go of this form yet, using his oversensitive senses to his advantage. Chanyeol is dashing through the trees, body stronger than before thanks to the fresh blood in his system. The forest is full of oblivious animals and nooks for predators to hide, so it wasn’t very hard for him to ambush a large deer in the woods. The effects of his previous hunt hadn’t faded completely, so he was fast and strong enough to subdue it, throwing it down and straddling it, keeping it on the ground long enough to drink its blood from its throat. He is an agile hunter even without his arrows, but in the moments of his hunt, he hates being an elf too, because he can clearly feel what his victim feels. Chanyeol never kills his prey, he never drains the animals he catches. So, once he had enough, he set the deer free again and watched it stumble away, weak from blood loss and spooked.

His second mission for the day is to find Baekhyun again. It’s the first time they are so far away from each other in days; they agreed it would be better to hunt separately, since neither is used to hunting with someone else around, and they wouldn’t want to turn against one another accidentally. No matter how comfortable they feel around each other, it’s not impossible to become hostile towards another predator if they perceive him as a threat mid-hunt. They took the risk of shifting forms in front of each other though, because it seemed safe enough to do so, and they took a few minutes to get tentatively acquainted with each other’s new form. Baekhyun’s rose scent became a little stronger, and that’s what Chanyeol is trying to find in the woods to track him down.

In retrospect, they didn’t need to be so cautious and put so much distance between them; the forest is full of animals everywhere, they wouldn’t be likely to chase after the same one. Chanyeol is starting to regret their decision now, because he has run into various rose gardens growing in the wild, but he has not found a sign of Baekhyun yet. If he can’t find him in the next half hour, Chanyeol is going to settle down and wait for Baekhyun to find him instead –he seems to be better at it, because Chanyeol is very sure he doesn’t know any other way to sense him but his scent, whereas Baekhyun is always bizarrely aware of Chanyeol. He still keeps his link to the forest as he goes, just in case he picks up suspiciously scared animals, which could mean Baekhyun is near.

Surprisingly, it works. Soon enough, Chanyeol senses an inkling of discomfort from the forest, which is not uncommon but it’s surprisingly isolated. It could be the animal Baekhyun has caught, while all the other animals have scampered away to save themselves, and on that assumption, Chanyeol follows the way to it. It’s a small animal and it’s growing weaker every second; when the scent of roses reaches Chanyeol, he is certain he is close. He slows down and walks through the vegetation at a normal pace; he doesn’t want to ambush Baekhyun with his sudden appearance, bursting into his space. If he approaches slower, Baekhyun will have a chance to notice his presence nearby.

When he reaches a small, quiet meadow in the woods, he finally sees Baekhyun. The smaller is kneeling on the ground, crouched over his prey, the setting sun casting a gentle light all around the grass land and over him. He is holding the bunny in his two hands, stroking its fur comfortingly as he drinks from its neck. The animal seems dazed, tired and sleepy, its eyes blinking slowly. There’s not a drop of blood smeared on its pristine white fur; such accuracy in the bite took Chanyeol years to accomplish.

Baekhyun becomes aware of Chanyeol almost instantly, glancing at him once under his lashes before he speeds up the process, lips pressing down on flesh. Chanyeol leans against a tree on the fringe of the woods, with his arms crossed over his chest, keeping a good distance between them. Baekhyun is vulnerable while he is feeding and, even though Chanyeol is harmless to him, he doesn’t want to make the smaller feel uncomfortable –he briefly considers if he should be watching at such an intimate moment, but he decides to stay since Baekhyun doesn’t show signs of discomfort. They have already seen each other as vampires, it doesn’t get any worse.

Being a hybrid gives one the advantage to hide some disturbing features most of the time; for example, Chanyeol can hide just how long his fangs really are, even though they’re still longer than average when he is not shifted to his vampire form. Generally speaking, he is not very different as a vampire; his fangs become longer and his eyes a more vivid, deep red, but the rest of the changes are internal, like his sharpened senses that focus on heartbeats nearby. Baekhyun’s vampire form, however, is different. His fangs that seem almost normal the rest of the time become long and sharp, his eyes turn into a sharper shape, and his fingers extend to beautiful pallid claws. Chanyeol as a hybrid doesn’t have claws at all –it differs for each– and he was captivated by them from the first moment he saw them; they suit Baekhyun’s pretty hands and they look enchantingly lethal, like the rest of him. He is a perfect beast.

When Baekhyun sets aside the lifeless animal, he does so gently; he reverently places it on the ground by the roots of a tree as if it is only sleeping, stroking its fur with his clawed fingers one last time. Chanyeol is respectful and careful with his prey too, but not this affectionate. He wouldn’t be surprised if Baekhyun had lured the bunny closer with sweet whispers until it willingly jumped into the hands of death.

“You have a strange hunting style” Chanyeol remarks casually, his fangs making it a little difficult to speak without hurting his lip. Baekhyun turns to look at him with voracious interest, his appearance alluring and unruffled; if only Chanyeol could say the same for himself –large prey tends to turn things a little messy.

“I’m a strange man” Baekhyun purrs, not hesitating to send Chanyeol a grin that shows his fangs. He notices that Baekhyun’s pupils dilate in his blue and silver eyes when he looks at Chanyeol, something he saw before as well, when they first shifted, but he doesn’t know what might be the cause of that. It could be something about him, like his scent, or it could be a standard reaction to his presence as another vampire. Baekhyun licks his lips absentmindedly, his eyes taking in the details of Chanyeol’s changed appearance, lingering around his eyes and mouth, gaze heavy; he looks seductively ready to pounce, making Chanyeol’s stomach drop.

Chanyeol decides that his vampire eyes are seeing too much and give him weird pictures, messing with his perception, so he lets his vampire features recede, until he is his usual self again.

He glances at Baekhyun’s kill, eternally sleeping on the ground; with one wave of his hand, the roots of the tree near Baekhyun become alive and start moving. They curl around the body of the bunny, gathering it protectively underneath beautiful swirls of wood, till it’s been completely enshrined. Baekhyun watches closely from start to end, his vampire features also fading to his familiar appearance.

“Thank you for that” he murmurs softly, his downturned eyes looking a little sad, fixed at the base of the tree. Chanyeol thinks it’s the least he could do for a beautiful animal that died in the hands of an even more magnificent being.

“Baekhyun…” he begins thoughtfully, a frown perching on his eyebrows. He has been thinking long and hard about doing this, since yesterday and throughout the night. He has tried to find the best way to say it, tried to imagine when it would be a good time to do so, he has tried to imagine all possible reactions from Baekhyun and prepare himself for the worst; and he thinks now is as good a time as any. He is determined to do this. “There’s one more thing I haven’t told you”

“What is it?” Baekhyun asks curiously, looking at him innocently and tilting his head, his eyes trying to figure out Chanyeol’s intensions by examining his expression. Chanyeol walks out of the woods, standing defenseless in front of Baekhyun; he knows he is terribly exposed as such, physically and emotionally, but he wants to. He takes a fortifying breath.

“I can read souls” he says, eyes careful and staring at Baekhyun to catch even miniscule reactions, his heart drumming in his ears and beating so fast in his chest that it feels like it might break something inside him. He wonders if this is how Baekhyun feels every time he hesitantly shares something about himself, while running through his mind all his mental preparation and possible outcomes, trying to remain composed. For him, sharing this about himself makes him feel even more uncertain than admitting he is a vampire; he knows people disapprove or fear his vampire nature, but this _gift_ is something he has never told anyone before, not even to his mother. He doesn’t know what to expect or what Baekhyun will think of him from now on.

Baekhyun’s first reaction is a nervous twitch of his lips and a long silence. Then, his eyes widen in disbelief and his face pales, as if he’s seen a ghost, his entire body going rigid, his eyes brimming with thoughts and blinking rapidly; he looks petrified and unsure, unwilling to believe Chanyeol’s words because he is afraid of what they could mean. He hasn’t seen Baekhyun growing distant so fast ever before, but Chanyeol doesn’t let himself regret his decision to tell him just yet, keeping himself collected as he nervously waits for Baekhyun to say something, anything.

Baekhyun’s lips finally part in a silent gasp. “Of all the things you could be gifted with…” he whispers, his eyes looking helpless and dejected on the verge of tears, the rest of his expression still astonished and lost. Chanyeol’s panic leaks through his defenses and he decides to speak before it’s too late.

“I haven’t read yours, and I will not do so, I promise” he assures Baekhyun hastily, his eyes wide and honest, begging Baekhyun to believe him. Chanyeol could explain more to him if he wants, he could tell him exactly how it works and maybe convince him that he doesn’t mean any harm, he never has. He inherited this gift alongside all his other talents. It was confusing at first but he can control it now. Except for those rare instances when he can sense Baekhyun’s emotions unintentionally, he has never tried to read Baekhyun’s soul, and he won’t, unless Baekhyun asks him to. Chanyeol feels a little desperate, the right words to say escaping him alongside the silent, tense moments between them, because it’s important for Baekhyun to understand that he respects him and trusts him, that he would never hurt him, that he has felt so great a need to share this with him because-

“Why are you telling me this now?” Baekhyun’s voice is somber as he shakes his head in denial, a deep frown carved between his eyebrows. Chanyeol doesn’t dare to breathe lest he breaks the fragile threads that still keep them together, struggling not to break.

“Because now you’ve seen all of me” he whispers quietly, praying that he hasn’t broken everything they’ve built so far because of his foolish, lonely heart, which keeps trembling in his chest.

He wishes Baekhyun will understand. He had only meant to be honest, have no secrets, reach out and allow Baekhyun to come closer. There’s no one else he would trust so close to him; but first he had to strip himself of all pretenses and let Baekhyun see him exactly for what he is. Vampire, elf, and their combination, now he knows all of Chanyeol, and he can keep him or throw him away; but at least Chanyeol will know that he has tried to become better, that he has not lied to a person that means so much to him, that he is still good on the inside, and that’s what he has always wanted.

~~~

One night, Chanyeol wakes up with a startle. It’s dark all around, with the faint silver glow of the moonlight; the forest looks incredibly lucid, the hard lines of the rocks blending with soft grass and flowers that have closed their petals for the night, against outlines of trees and shrubs. The trees look completely still, but he senses wildlife sneaking around in the shadows, concealed from sight under the branches. The sparse clouds in the sky look like silver silk and the starts twinkle, the Serpent sleeping peacefully as always around the moon. He remains vigilant for a few long moments, his senses alert after his sudden awakening, but he doesn’t find anything out of the ordinary; it must have been a clumsy animal that woke him after all.

Letting out a careful breath, Chanyeol lies down again and relaxes, placing his hands under his head and gazing at the beautiful stars in the sky. The moon is near the horizon, its light slowly fading, so the stars seem to shine brighter. His eyes wander in the spaces between them aimlessly, trying to guess how far away they really are and if they ever feel lonely. Baekhyun stirs a little in his sleep beside him, curled under the cloak that might as well be his by now.

He didn’t run away. He could have screamed in revulsion and terror and then run for his life after Chanyeol told him his final secret, but he chose to stay. He believed Chanyeol, he placed his trust in him once more, and he consciously _stayed_. He was a little awkward at times at first, not knowing what to expect from Chanyeol, so the latter took it upon himself to explain everything to Baekhyun with as much detail as he could convey. Baekhyun seemed more comfortable afterwards, even asking curious questions. He made Chanyeol promise again that he won’t ever read his soul, and then the days continued with Baekhyun right beside him. The revelations between them have brought them closer in a strange way.

When the weather is warm enough, they like to stargaze at night and sleep outside, talking quietly and sharing stories until they fall asleep. On some nights, they don’t sleep at all, their bodies effortlessly staying awake till morning; accepting this side of himself would have been impossible before Baekhyun knew of his vampire nature. Chanyeol hasn’t felt so much like himself before, and he thinks cathartically sharing everything with Baekhyun has helped reduce his nightmares. He hasn’t had one in a long time.

Usually, it’s Chanyeol who first bids the Serpent goodnight and departs for his dreams, but sometimes, Baekhyun falls asleep first. On those rare instances that Baekhyun is asleep and Chanyeol is awake, Chanyeol’s eyes forsake the stars in spite of their beauty, just to gaze at Baekhyun. Chanyeol is not sure why he wishes to keep it a secret, but it doesn’t feel right to shower Baekhyun with so many emotions when he is awake either; their friendship is delicate and unique, it has weathered a lot lately, and Chanyeol doesn’t want to break it with a clumsy mistake. He has yet to figure out what this concoction of a fast heartbeat and a queasy stomach means, why his cheeks heat up and his mind feels dazed around Baekhyun, why his thoughts get tangled and his heart leaps when the smaller smiles, but whatever it is, it’s too vague to share with Baekhyun just yet.

_And how much time do we still have?_

Chanyeol throws one arm over his eyes and sighs into the night; how much time.

Listening to Baekhyun’s light heartbeat and steady breaths, he turns on his side to face the sleeping man. Baekhyun gets cold easily, so he is wrapped in his coat and curled around himself as much as possible, only his face peeking out of it with a few tufts of hair. Chanyeol has watched him sleep before, and he knows he looks beautiful in the moonlight. He feels an urge to see him more clearly right now though, so he lights a small fire on his palm and brings it close to Baekhyun’s face, enough to cast a dim glow over it without disturbing him in his sleep.

He is still beautiful in the golden glow of Chanyeol’s fire; his black hair falls like a curtain over his forehead, his brows arching over his closed lids. It looks like he is dreaming, his lashes fluttering against his cheeks. Chanyeol moves his hand a little, watching the shadows swiping over his nose and smooth cheekbones, in the dip of his cupid’s bow and over his chin. His jaw is slack, lips parted to let out rhythmic puffs of breath, and Chanyeol’s eyes stay glued to them. His heart always squirms when he stares at those bow-shaped, pink lips, and his stomach feels strange when he absently thinks if they are as soft as they look. He doesn’t know what the warm rush in his veins means or why his heart swells whenever he can reverently look at Baekhyun like this, but he knows it will be painful to leave him behind.

_It’s too soon._

It feels wrong to abandon him, and he feels even worse whenever he thinks of going on with his journey without him. It feels impossible, really. He can’t imagine what he would be like, going back to a world without Baekhyun. There are so many things he hasn’t told him yet, so many things they haven’t done. Sometimes, the journey matters more than the destination; he doesn’t want to sacrifice Baekhyun for his plans.

Is that too selfish?

His eyes grow heavy gradually, and he lets his fire distinguish, his hand falling to the ground limply. It should be surprising that it lands partly on a foreign limb, but the haze of sleep alters his logic and convinces him that it is a perfectly normal occurrence. Besides, it’s common enough these days; sometimes, when he wakes up, he finds Baekhyun sleeping with an arm extended to him, as if ready to catch him. Maybe Baekhyun subconsciously craves the proximity, maybe he is drawn to Chanyeol’s warmth because he is cold, maybe it’s comfortable for him to sleep like this, maybe it’s mere coincidence. It’s one of the many things they could discover together, if they stayed so; but how can he expect to keep Baekhyun when Chanyeol is the one who can’t stay? Chanyeol falls asleep to the sight of a serenely sleeping Baekhyun bathed in moonlight, his heart feeling calmer at the heartwarming picture.

Little does he know that he woke up when Baekhyun’s hand accidentally slid off his shoulder, where it usually perches throughout the night to ward off Chanyeol’s nightmares.

~~~

With his back propped against a tree tall as the sky, Baekhyun lies limply on the ground, his legs spread widely in the empty space around him. The ground is hard and cold, the day is comfortably cool and sunny. Baekhyun can see the blue sky over the gigantic trees, peeking through small cracks between the layers of branches and leaves, only for a few moments, before it hides from view again as the treetops sway.

He doesn’t like this part of the forest. The light can’t reach the ground and the wind can’t float lower than halfway down the cluster of absurdly high trees. It’s the only thing that grows here, thin and smooth trunks stretching straight to the sky, crowned with dark foliage on thin branches. The ground is solid and hard, made of smooth rocks, covered in dirt; the forest floor is made of powdery dirt, pressed over large grey stones, occasionally a root that sticks out of the ground and fallen leaves that couldn’t withstand the winds. It is eerily silent; the sound of the wind distant, no sign of animals or flowers. Only tall trees stand solemnly in every direction, the spaces between them painfully empty, until they blend to obscure shadows in the distance. There is a different sort of beauty to be found here; the silence, the stillness, the loneliness. The woods are so barren that they reflect one’s mind. It is a brilliant place to get lost or meditate, but Baekhyun doesn’t want to think.

And all he’s been doing lately is _think, think, think_.

He doesn’t know how to escape; he can’t really, not when the end is so near he can touch it. He can’t stop time, no matter how hard he tries to grasp at it while it’s running out.

He doesn’t like this part of the forest. It’s so close to the edge, perhaps a day’s worth of walking distance from the place where the forest meets the road which leads to the outside world. That is the end; that marks their divide. They agreed to travel the forest together, and so they did. They have reached the end of the woods, and they shall part ways as creatures of different worlds. He always knew the moment would come to say goodbye –he thought he was prepared. It once seemed distant and suitable, a point of peaceful closure that comes for all natural things. But now it’s too close, too soon, an untimely, forceful separation. It’s loss and pain and loneliness again. He doesn’t know how to do this, but he has tried to think of a way.

Maybe he could leave one morning, before Chanyeol wakes up to see him, and disappear quietly, leaving nothing behind.

Would it be better if they said goodbyes at a crossroads, exchanged one last smile, and then continued each their own way?

Perhaps Baekhyun should see him to the end and wish him well, standing at the final frontier of the woods, waving as he walks further and further away.

Baekhyun leans his head back against the tree. He will be left behind. He will become an inconsequential memory. He will be a glimpse on the edge of Chanyeol’s consciousness for the rest of his life. _Isn’t that what I’m meant to be anyways?_ Baekhyun scoffs at himself bitterly; he is so foolish. He let himself believe that creatures like him can stay close to someone like Chanyeol, because he couldn’t believe that the bond they share is meant to keep them apart. When his every fiber gravitated to Chanyeol, it was hard to imagine a life without that steady attraction. So, he hoped that _maybe_ they could be close.

He hadn’t aspired to impossible things –a friendship would be enough. A blooming friendship, grown in the forest where it would be rooted alongside their memories, like a blooming tree; even if they were apart, even after years, their friendship would be firmly planted at some place in their memories. In the short time they’ve had to nourish it, perhaps they wouldn’t see their friendship changing; as a tree, it wouldn’t shed its petals, stand strong against the rain and winds, till it would grow and bloom again. It would forever be beautifully blooming in their memories –and that would be enough. But it feels like it was only yesterday they planted the seed, and there’s no tree, no blooms, just a fragile tiny sprout, peaking from the ground, crushed and drowned and covered so easily in memory.

Maybe that’s what has always been supposed to happen to him in Chanyeol’s memory. He wouldn’t have rejected Chanyeol and his efforts to come closer to him, even if he perished afterwards. Baekhyun closes his eyes and holds his breath, denying the tears that prickle behind his lids.

He has to crush and drown and cover them all –all these feelings that have been growing their roots, reaching deep inside his heart. He hadn’t aspired to impossible things; but he _felt_ them. He has grown fond of Chanyeol in ways that go beyond amicable, he feels an infinite affection for him; _love_ , if you will. And no matter how hard he tries to convince himself that it was bound to happen because of what they are, he knows it’s his fault. He was never supposed to _want_. Heavens, he _wanted_ so much Chanyeol’s every side, especially as a vampire. When they part, Baekhyun will have to readjust in his previous life and mend his broken heart, too. It will require a great amount of work that just might take his mind off of the time they will be spending apart, the minutes he will be missing him.

But Chanyeol has to go, and Baekhyun will not have it any other way. Chanyeol has his life to live –for both of them.

Baekhyun has barely managed to calm his heart when a familiar voice echoes in the woods. “Baekhyun?”

“I’m here” he answers reflexively, waving his arms around halfheartedly –he knows Chanyeol is somewhere close and will see him, he just doesn’t have the energy to be loud. His mood is very fragile at the moment, after his internal struggle –why can’t he just _stop thinking_? He has barely slept and eaten these past few days –Chanyeol inevitably noticed, and Baekhyun falsely accused his ambivalent body for everything, knowing Chanyeol wouldn’t ask further. But just as he was beginning to settle, Chanyeol has to sound so lost and distressed while searching for Baekhyun, showing how much he cares…He unknowingly hurts Baekhyun more, in the light of their impending separation; but Baekhyun can’t deny the warmth that spreads in his chest sweetly.

He opens his eyes just in time to see Chanyeol arriving next to him. His hair is still a little wet, his skin looks refreshed and clean. The clouds of worry dissipate quickly from Chanyeol’s expression but Baekhyun doesn’t miss it, the anxious appearance of the man bothering him even after it has been replaced with a small, carefree grin. He gathers his legs closer, making some room for Chanyeol to sit down opposite him.

“Why were you hiding so far away?” the taller asks, his voice not quite jesting, hardly light enough to hide the remnants of his worry –rather poorly. Baekhyun pretends not to notice and shrugs nonchalantly.

“I wasn’t hiding” he retorts, his attempt to hide his feelings under a teasing tone coming out more successful than Chanyeol’s. He didn’t mean to hide in the woods, he just went far enough to give Chanyeol some privacy while he bathed in the stream –it certainly wouldn’t have helped to wait nearby and be tempted in all sorts of inappropriate ways. Besides, Chanyeol was the one who walked out of sight and _climbed in a tree_ to give Baekhyun privacy when it was his turn to bathe. Baekhyun simply walked until his thoughts became too heavy to carry.

“It wasn’t very easy to find you either” Chanyeol rebuts, the light in his eyes dimming a little. Baekhyun could argue against him and lure him into a playful bicker, but he chooses to stay quiet, watching Chanyeol’s expression slowly change. He lowers his gaze, his smile fades, he looks a bit bashful and his hands nervously fidget on his lap. His smile is small, the slope of his shoulders making him look depressed, and his voice is quiet and hesitant. “I thought you left…”

Baekhyun can almost hear the crack of his heart and he has to pinch his thigh to stay afloat.

“I wouldn’t” he reassures the taller, mirroring a small smile. He has thought about it, that much is true, but if he knows himself, he is sure he wouldn’t be able to leave without saying goodbye. It hurts to think that Chanyeol believed the possibility of being simply abandoned. _Besides,_ Baekhyun thinks, keeping his eyes focused solely on Chanyeol, “You’re the one who has to leave”

That diminishes the smile on Chanyeol’s lips, giving way to a serious, troubled expression –Baekhyun doesn’t know if it’s what he said or how he said it. He didn’t mean to sound wistful, and perhaps a little bitter.

“I know.” Chanyeol sighs, glancing at Baekhyun, and then his brows furrow; he looks resolute but also hesitant. “And I’ve been thinking…” he starts carefully, biting his lip and lifting his eyes to look at Baekhyun. Whenever he has this expression, Baekhyun is a little sort of doomed. “It feels wrong to leave you like this” he declares, throwing Baekhyun off guard.

Did Chanyeol just say what he thinks he heard, what _he_ feels too, what he has been chanting every night for hours before he falls into a weary sleep?

“I know it’s what we planned, and I know our journeys lead us to different paths, but I feel…” Chanyeol stops, frantically searching for the right word, and when he can’t find it, he takes Baekhyun’s hand and presses it against his chest. Baekhyun can only uselessly blink at the sudden turn of events.

Baekhyun can feel his heartbeat, the air in his lungs as it comes and goes, the cotton fabric of his shirt and Chanyeol’s hand resting above his own, holding it in place. Chanyeol still has the frantic, desperate expression on his beautiful features, trying to explain something important, but it looks more mellow than before, as if trusting that Baekhyun will understand, even though it’s complicated and hard, especially without words. And Baekhyun understands. He does, because he can feel it, not against his hand but against his own feelings where they bond with Chanyeol’s; Chanyeol feels abandoned, forgotten, a little helpless, pessimistic, disappointed and lonely, like a discarded, lost child. It’s like only Baekhyun can fill that empty space beside him, like Chanyeol misses him _so much_ when he is absent.

It doesn’t make the heartbreak any easier.

Baekhyun might be surprised, but he remembers what he has to do. So he swallows the hurt and curls his lips into a grin that doesn’t reach his eyes. “It will pass” he says reassuringly, patting Chanyeol’s chest “You are going to explore the world! I’m sure you will remember your excitement” _and forget about me_. He tries to sound encouraging and optimistic, but he doesn’t think he sounds exactly right. Chanyeol doesn’t hold it against him, enveloping Baekhyun’s hand in both of his.

“Can’t you come with me?” he whispers pleadingly, large pitiful eyes looking straight into Baekhyun’s. _What?!_ Baekhyun holds his breath, his eyes widening in shock; Chanyeol notices and presses his lips in a sad line. He is giving Baekhyun so little time to react today, nervous as he is of what might happen if he waits too long and trying to prevent it. “I’m sorry; I’m being selfish. It’s a big, dangerous world out there, and you have no reason to follow me on the path I’ve chosen. But I feel like I can rely on you, and that might make everything a little better. Do you see how greedy I am?” he scoffs, his gaze dropping to the ground, his hands playing with Baekhyun’s idly, tracing the outline of his fingers again and again.

And Baekhyun can’t stand the touch, the closeness, the emotions -he can’t stand being so close without his splintered resolve breaking. He has to let him go.

He withdraws his hand from Chanyeol’s hold with a neutral expression which feels a safer choice than any other reaction. He is sure Chanyeol can feel what he feels if he wants to, so he makes clear that he needs space by rising to his feet and walking a few steps behind Chanyeol; the latter doesn’t attempt to follow him. Even just standing at such a short distance, Baekhyun can feel it; Chanyeol’s gravity is trying to yank him back, like tight ropes and unyielding elastic pulling at him, so taut it’s hard to breathe. How can he let Chanyeol go, if it’s so difficult to walk a few steps away from him? The moment he has the intension to move away, this feeling wraps around him and renders him helpless.

“It feels wrong” Chanyeol mutters again and _oh, Chanyeol, you have no idea how wrong it feels_. Baekhyun sighs and closes his eyes for a moment, trying to think everything through different eyes and praying he is not making a mistake. He shakes his head miserably; he was so sure he’d have to let him go. He turns around slowly, taking in Chanyeol’s hunched shoulders and his figure sitting on the ground dejectedly, like a kicked puppy. How can Baekhyun let go of that?

“Why should I say yes?” he asks, voice collected and serious.

It’s the fastest Chanyeol has ever turned around, eyes wide and hopeful. “For me.” He answers straightforwardly, sounding a little like a desperate child, asking for a favor. “I have literally nothing else to offer you” he admits honestly –but he is so so wrong. Then, a small, hopeful smile curls one corner of his lips “But I’ve been told I’m excellent company” he pipes up a little playfully, trying to ease the tension between them. His attempt is weak but it works, as always, because Chanyeol’s heart is so pure it’s endearing.

It would be silly to maintain a dreary mood when it shouldn’t have been as intense in the first place; due to their feelings rubbing against one another, they tend to experience everything more heightened. Baekhyun has been a little doomed from the start, after all.

A chuckle escapes Baekhyun at the face Chanyeol is making, and the latter’s smile widens with fresh hope; can’t he see he won long ago? “Please?”

His decision has already been made and there is little to no room for doubt in this moment. He realizes it goes against everything he believes he should be doing, but he still chooses the same thing. How could he choose otherwise, when Chanyeol is looking at him like a child expecting the first snow, his burgundy eyes and pretty smile looking just like they did all those years ago, like they should always be. Later, Baekhyun will say he did it for the company, for the extra warmth at night, for the guaranteed safety of this overeager, overgrown puppy that goes by the name of Park Chanyeol. But in truth, he just can’t say no to him.

~~~

It’s the first day of following the road, and so far, everything has been going smoothly. The country road is nothing but a wide dirt road, carved through the woods like the twisting body of a snake. It can go on for miles without anything in sight but trees and fields on either side, even though it’s been made to connect small towns and kingdoms. The uninhabited areas are the quietest; merchants pass sometimes with loaded carriages, on their way to longer journeys, very few travelers ride their horses to the next town over, and there is the occasional beggar that marks the outskirts of a nearby village.

Only one carriage has passed by them since the morning, heading in the opposite direction, and the man didn’t even glance at their hooded figures a second time. The weather has been nice and pictures of the forest still accompany them in the form of thick vegetation on the sides of the road, as if they never left its protective embrace; it brings some comfort at the start of something new. The trees dance in the wind more freely here, and animals are sparser to spot, wary of passengers and hunters. They are still far from the nearest town but they are in no hurry to get there, enjoying every step of the journey and taking time to adjust to hints of civilization.

Baekhyun endearingly asked earlier if it’s always so sunny out here; it’s his first time out of the forest, and Chanyeol has to admit that he has been coping well so far. He is buzzing with excitement most of the time, drinking in every detail of the outside world and asking Chanyeol a million questions about cities and shops and houses, eager to see them all. But sometimes, he grows wary and uncomfortable, realizing that he is no longer in the world he’s always known. He becomes quiet then, shuffling closer to Chanyeol and walking right beside him, looking a little scared; Chanyeol resolves to holding Baekhyun’s hand for reassurance. He knows he is responsible for Baekhyun now, and he won’t let anything harm him.

With the exception of the horse dragging the carriage, nothing has startled Baekhyun –even the tall animal seemed more fascinating than frightening to him, not to imply he didn’t hide behind Chanyeol to look at it without being in ‘danger’. Chanyeol only squeezed his hand and chuckled at him endearingly; Baekhyun pouted and whined about being made fun of, but Chanyeol assured him that they will uncover this world wonder by wonder together. He has nothing to fear.

It’s well into midday when someone else appears on the road, walking a little distance from them. They have dropped their hoods so that they won’t grow unnecessarily uncomfortable in the heat of the sun, but Chanyeol doesn’t attempt to pull his hood over his head again; he hopes to avoid indiscreet stares on their journey, but this particular pair of eyes on them doesn’t worry him as much. He chooses to ignore the man for as long as he can; maybe he’ll grow bored and leave them alone without a word. Knowing Sehun, the chances of that happening are slim, but one can always hope.

Sehun is not an earthly being; it’s another abnormality Chanyeol’s eyes are prone to, someone only he could ever see. They met years ago, on one of Chanyeol’s school fieldtrips, when he was still a childlike, outcast teen –they never really became friends, but they have always been acquaintances, for the sake of their immortality. At first Sehun seemed fascinating, with all the stories he had to share from his travels all over the world, his sassy jokes, his charming ways, his exciting games, but soon Chanyeol came to realize how different they are; Sehun suffers a lonely life on the surface of the earth, while Chanyeol suffers from loneliness in the depths of himself. Sehun could never understand, because he’s not made that way.

He was the same as he is now when they first met, his age unidentifiable. He is tall and thin, forever young, with broad shoulders and an impressive presence. He has a sharp chin, fair skin and flaxen hair, his eyes are smart and dark; he is handsome but almost deceivingly so. His appearance matches his character well; imposing, capricious, playful and fickle. He is born to be this way, after all; Sehun is a wind –or the impersonation of one, at least. He once told Chanyeol he comes from the south, but no one can be sure, since the winds like to travel without respite. He gets easily excited and even more easily bored, he is bitter for being invisible to most people and he is always desperate for attention, always trying to find games to entertain his eternal existence. After nearly two decades, Chanyeol has grown tired of him but still tolerates his antics out of compassion for him as an immortal being.

Chanyeol doesn’t know what coincidence brings Sehun on their path, but he can only hope he won’t stay for long; he is not in a mood to play potentially dangerous games or involve Baekhyun in them, and he’d like the weather to stay sunny and bright, without Sehun’s interruption. That is why he is pretending to be oblivious to his presence, pointedly keeping his eyes straight ahead and his expression neutral. Baekhyun has been a little tense since Sehun appeared, inevitably noticing the stranger walking in pace next to them, but he follows Chanyeol’s example of ignoring the man, clutching Chanyeol’s hand uncertainly. There was no way to be sure whether Baekhyun would be able to see him or not, but apparently he can –they don’t seem to know each other though, which is a small relief, since it doesn’t give Sehun any further reason to bother them.

“Oh, come on, Chanyeol” Sehun drawls in mild exasperation at some point, probably completing it with an eye roll which Chanyeol still refuses to even glance at; Baekhyun flinches at the sudden interaction but keeps his eyes focused forward like Chanyeol. The latter inwardly groans; why couldn’t Sehun just walk away? It must have been a feat for him to walk beside them so calmly for as long as he did, since he is used to riding the wind, and the prolonged silence should have been boring enough for his talkative disposition –he should have left long ago, but maybe Chanyeol underestimated how burdensome his loneliness can be as an alternative.

A sudden gust of warm wind hits Chanyeol’s face and he stops walking, already expecting him when Sehun appears in front of them a blink later; he is not the type to give up easily. Baekhyun has prudently stopped beside Chanyeol, but he gasps a little in surprise when Sehun materializes, his lithe figure dressed in black nearly towering over him, even though he is a bit shorter than Chanyeol. When he realizes that his breath has left his lips audibly, his eyes turn to Chanyeol at a loss, worried he has made a mistake; the rules of their interaction with strangers are rather vague at this point.

Sehun keeps his eyes only on Chanyeol, an amused glint shining in them, and he smirks cockily. “Your friend has seen me” he points out, his cheshire grin directed to both of them now.

“Sehun.” Chanyeol has no choice but to acknowledge him flatly. He doesn’t blame Baekhyun for his slip-up, on the contrary, he should thank Baekhyun for wordlessly trusting him, even when he was clueless in a confusing situation. In any case, it was only a matter of time before Sehun burst the bubble impatiently, and now that he has succeeded, his lips stretch into a wider smile of accomplishment when Chanyeol says his name, his eyes twinkling in the naughty way they almost always do. Chanyeol only blinks at him impassively, trying to convey his disinterest at the moment, and hoping not to aggravate his curiosity in any way. Baekhyun leans closer to Chanyeol’s side, eyeing Sehun guardedly when the latter takes a step closer.

“Don’t be so cold and brooding all the time, you could be so much fun” the blond purrs with a suggestive little smirk, dragging his pointer finger over Chanyeol’s shoulder and down his arm, then back up, and down his chest flirtatiously. He is so whimsical that he doesn’t even bother grudging Chanyeol for giving him the cold shoulder until just a moment ago, instead defaulting to his flirty habits. If one thing is consistent about him besides his immeasurable curiosity, it would be his intent on bedding Chanyeol; he has been suggesting it for years, ever since Chanyeol matured, but he has never had any luck. Chanyeol is simply not interested.

Chanyeol’s expression hardens and he pointedly glares at Sehun; he doesn’t like being touched. And Sehun knows that, because it hasn’t changed since Chanyeol was little, but the blond wind opts to ignore it sometimes in favor of playful flirting and trying to coax a reaction out of Chanyeol. Baekhyun’s grip oddly tightens even more, a bitter feeling squirming in his stomach. Sehun withstands Chanyeol’s glare defiantly for a while, and then he fakes a gasp.

“Oh right,” he blinks up at Chanyeol innocently, voice purposefully breathless “you don’t like being touched” he pouts his lips, dropping his finger slowly, dragging it over Chanyeol’s elbow, till he is no longer touching anything that belongs to Chanyeol. The taller doesn’t appreciate Sehun’s act but he is relieved he can breathe freely again.

Then he notices Baekhyun slowly retracting his fingers from his hold and, damn, that’s Sehun’s fault, for pretending to know Chanyeol so well. Baekhyun has the only touch Chanyeol enjoys, and he won’t let him feel insecure about it. Chanyeol doesn’t loosen his grasp and makes sure to hold Baekhyun’s hand even tighter to keep him in place; Baekhyun gives up with a small twitch of his fingers. In the meanwhile, Sehun’s gaze rakes down Chanyeol’s body in an indecent way –Chanyeol doesn’t really care. He can’t afford to care when he thinks of all the times Sehun has blown over his skin, a touch of the wind which feels completely indifferent. Sehun’s eyes reach their clasped hands eventually, and his expression hardens a bit.

“Who is your friend?” he asks, faking a smile and an amicable tone, but the pangs of jealousy are palpable around him. As a wind, he is made to own the space around him, casting his claim as far as he can reach, but this sort of private ownership exposes more of himself than he would probably like. Sensing the sickeningly green aura around Sehun, Chanyeol tries to find any excuse, but they all fall short; it would take too much effort and Sehun is not worth it. He gets even more prying and zealous when people reject him vaguely.

“Baekhyun.” He answers evenly, but there is finality in his voice, a warning for Sehun not to ask anything further. At the sound of his name, the shorter man straightens his body nervously beside Chanyeol, and Chanyeol gives him a tired but soft look; Baekhyun blinks up at him timidly. “This is Sehun, he’s a wind” he explains calmly, to which Baekhyun only nods; Sehun is not a particularly useful acquaintance, and he is interesting only in certain aspects. It is obvious he is highly unsafe though; he has too much time in his hands, too many expectations, too much disappointment and bitterness. He wants company but he can’t be a friend to anyone, he doesn’t understand how. Chanyeol knows from experience that Sehun likes to expose secrets and create trouble for others to entertain himself; he doesn’t have empathy. The least you involve yourself with him the better.

Sehun’s eyes are curious but also vengeful when he looks at Baekhyun. “You’re cute” he says it without emotion, almost mockingly unimpressed. Chanyeol would have said something but he feels it’s not his place to do so, because Baekhyun is faring fine, staring back at Sehun unaffected, not giving him the pleasure of a reaction. His strange eyes look straight into Sehun’s without fear, until the latter decides to lose the battle and scoffs, disappearing momentarily with a swishing sound of wind. Chanyeol rubs soothing circles with his thumb on Baekhyun’s hand, reassuring him, until the shorter relaxes a little.

When Sehun reappears moments later, he is sitting on top of a boulder on the side of the road, making the hard rock look like the most comfortable seat. His long body, accentuated by his black clothes, looks very grand against the surroundings. “So, where are you off to, boys?” he changes the subject casually, briefly checking his nails before returning his attention to them. “Chanyeol, seeing you so far away from the city is unusual” he frowns at the realization –he often thinks aloud, but he is by no means stupid. It takes less than a second for a flash of insight to fly by his eyes. “Oh, they finally kicked you out, huh?” he asks, crossing his legs and leaning forward with curiosity, his head propped in his hand and his elbow against his knee. He seems amused, a lopsided smirk playing on his lips. Sehun long knew of the arrangement for Chanyeol’s life, it was common knowledge back in the city, and Chanyeol never tried to hide it, not even now. “Where will you be going now?” he singsongs, his eyes sparking with interest.

Chanyeol holds Baekhyun’s hand tighter for comfort, keeping his composure as he stares at Sehun unwaveringly.

“I have some plans” he claims ambiguously, not willing to share anything further with Sehun. It’s never safe to trust him with any information and Chanyeol wouldn’t want his future plans gone with the wind. Sehun grins and jumps down from his perch on the rock effortlessly, walking closer with grace and poise. Baekhyun stiffens a little at the act. Chanyeol won’t hesitate to lie this time if Sehun asks more questions. The blond stops in front of them, hands on his narrow hips, his chin raised so that he can look at Chanyeol with a hooded gaze.

“Your games are always so interesting” he mumbles through his smirk, his words always alluding to dubiously indecent things. Baekhyun is uncharacteristically still beside Chanyeol.

“It’s not a game” _it’s never a game_ , Chanyeol wonders if there is a way for Sehun to understand that, his voice coming out serious and deep. Sehun’s ‘games’ are not always harmless and good fun; people’s lives have been ruined, people have gotten hurt from them, a man’s life is not a game, but Sehun has no empathy at all. It’s pointless to try to explain it all to him again; Sehun has many emotions ready to burst in his chest, but he cannot consider others experiencing them.

“Perhaps not to you…” he mumbles more serious, his neck straightening to its original position and his expression turning into a puzzle. His gaze shifts to Chanyeol’s neck and then he gives a hard glance at Baekhyun for one split second. He recomposes himself quickly, hiding behind his usual poker face and a tiny smile. “I’ll keep an eye on you. Should be fun” he chuckles airily. Chanyeol sighs in defeat; there is no argument that could dissuade Sehun at this point, when he thinks he has found the next best thing to pass his suffering time. Baekhyun nearly growls in discomfort when Sehun leans closer to Chanyeol and winks, but Chanyeol is indifferent as always. “Bye handsome”

Then he is gone with a sudden, powerful gust, picking up dirt from the ground and tearing leaves from the trees, the pebbles stumbling around lost on the ground; Sehun is gone in a whirling cloud which wraps around the two men standing in the middle of the road. They have to cover their faces to breathe, coughing out any accidentally inhaled dirt, and their eyes keep squinting against the puff of soil. When the brown cloud has settled down around them in a mess by the feet, Baekhyun rubs the dust out of his eyes with a displeased and annoyed expression, his black hair sporting brown highlights from the dirt.

“I don’t like him very much” he tells Chanyeol honestly, a pout curving his lips. It wasn’t very hard to figure that Baekhyun and Sehun didn’t like one another, and Baekhyun’s frown confirms it, as he looks at Chanyeol with piqued puppy eyes. Chanyeol would have to agree.

~~~

“And this is the bedroom, two beds as you requested” the short innkeeper tours them around professionally, opening the door to the room they’ve booked for the night. It’s a nice room, bigger than Chanyeol expected it to be judging by its low price. It’s tidy and clean, with two single beds, separated by a nightstand; there’s also a small window which is closed for the night and a large chest for storage. It’s all they’ll need for one night. “The bathroom is that way” the innkeeper says, motioning to the door of the en suite bathroom and then handing the room key to Chanyeol. The short man with cat-like eyes and snow white hair has been very polite and helpful so far, obliging all their requests for the room, without asking unnecessary questions. Chanyeol read his soul for good measure earlier, when they first stepped foot into ‘Minseok’s Inn’, looking for a quiet place to spend the night, and the man is genuinely indifferent to his guests’ uncanny appearance; all he wants is to run his establishment decently so, as long as they don’t create trouble, everyone is welcome.

“Thank you very much” Chanyeol accepts the key with a polite little smile, like the one he used to wear when he worked at the bakery; the man only nods in response, his expression unchangingly composed. Baekhyun steps further into the room, inspecting the unfamiliar space, running his fingers over the headboard of one bed and gathering his cloak closer; it’s a cold night, even indoors. “Are there any spare blankets?” Chanyeol asks; since there is no fireplace to light a fire to keep warm throughout the night, they could use a few extra layers of blankets.

“Not really, all rooms have standard furnishings and linens” the short innkeeper answers unfazed with a casual shrug of his shoulders, as if the cold in all rooms doesn’t concern him –maybe that’s why the price was so low, because the facilities are not optimal. It’s not exactly freezing, but to a tired traveler a cold room brings only half the comfort. Baekhyun sits on the edge of one bed, testing the mattress by bouncing on it a little, with a wonderstruck expression. Chanyeol forgot to ask him if he’s ever seen a bed before.

The tall elf scratches his neck awkwardly. “But well, it’s a little cold. Do you think we could turn up the heat a lit-”

“I’m an ice fairy” the short man cuts in coldly, with a warning glare at Chanyeol, who only blinks in surprise. He didn’t suspect the innkeeper to be an ice fairy, so far away from snowy mountains, and he assumed he was an elf, based on his thin yet muscular build and pointy ears. He’d never read a fairy’s soul before, but it turns out it’s not very different from the colorful souls of elves. This man’s soul is ice blue, with spots of inky dark navy, like the man’s eyes; he looks annoyed. “I don’t do _heat_ ” he emphasizes deliberately –he has probably had to explain himself to his guests many times in the past.

Chanyeol nods, eyes wide and apologetic; he hadn’t meant to offend the man, who has been only kind to them. “Oh, sorry” he mumbles, watching as the short fairy’s ire quickly dissipates, his demeanor turning calm and professional again. Baekhyun had gotten a bit wary and vigilant on the side of the room, watching the fairy closely, ready to come to the rescue, but now he relaxes too, fiddling with his coat. “Thank you for your time” Chanyeol makes sure to sound gentle and grateful, making eye contact with the man before he leaves the room, so that he will at least have a good last impression of his guests. When the door closes after him with a soft click, the tension evaporates from their bodies.

“That was close” Chanyeol murmurs under his breath. The fairy was a kind and patient man, so they wouldn’t have had any trouble or fights with him, but they barely prevented a sour mood with the innkeeper. If Chanyeol has read his soul correctly, he will forgive their ignorance shortly; it was another lesson to Chanyeol, to be more careful with the people he reads.

Baekhyun sighs and then stretches his arms tiredly. “We should shower” he suggests, wrinkling his nose cutely in disapproval at the prospect. They are both tired from walking for two days and one night in a row, and from their shopping expedition in the village earlier; they bought a blanket, some clothes and shoes for Baekhyun, as well as some food to fill their starving stomachs with. In spite of their exhaustion, however, they first need to wash off the grime they’ve been gathering during the past two days. Chanyeol can’t wait till he is clean and tucked into bed for the next few hours of the night.

After receiving a short nod from Chanyeol, Baekhyun disappears to the bathroom first, leaving the door slightly ajar; Chanyeol notices when he finally walks into the room and sits on the hardwood floor beside the chest, planning to store their things there for the night. “Call me if you need anything!” he voices the reminder, frowning at the string of light coming through the crack of the door and stretching on the floor and over the beds.

They agreed that Baekhyun would ask Chanyeol absolutely anything, to ensure he won’t have any accidents or feel uncomfortable in a new environment. The bathroom might be a new experience for him, with elaborate faucets and soaps and towels, so he will probably have a few questions after his initial exploration –he is hardly used to electricity, which not all cities have, but this one does; Baekhyun seemed confused by the street lights when they lit up at the market earlier come nightfall. He must have left the door open so that it won’t be an obstacle between them if he needs Chanyeol’s help; sure enough, his voice echoes from the bathroom a few minutes later.

“Yeol!” he calls, using the nickname he has recently picked up for the taller; it came about so effortlessly and naturally in his speech that neither of them noticed when he started using it. Chanyeol didn’t have any nicknames before, but by the time they realized, it was too late to change it; Baekhyun’s lips liked it too much and Chanyeol had learnt to respond to it. Chanyeol sets their things aside and stands up to go help Baekhyun; priorities are priorities. A small head pops out of the bathroom door on cue, puppy eyes blinking at him in shock. “There’s no hot water!” Baekhyun explains the emergency in mild horrification, opening the door wider to let Chanyeol in.

The white bathtub is half-filled with water already, the faucet still running. Chanyeol glances shortly at the rest of the spacious, tidy bathroom before he walks to the corner where the bathtub is; perhaps Baekhyun got confused by the complicated faucet. He tinkers with the knobs, trying to coax some semblance of hot water out of either, testing it on his wrist every so often, but his efforts are unsuccessful. He sighs tiredly; they can’t bathe in cold water on a cold night, they’ll get sick. It must be another side effect of the ‘no heat’ policy; he inwardly groans exasperatedly. He will have to recalibrate his criteria for booking inns in the future to include a proper heating system. In any case, what’s done is done for tonight, and he needs to solve this so that they can go to sleep. Baekhyun shuffles his feet nervously on the other side of the bathroom.

“Did I break it?” he asks meekly. When Chanyeol turns around, Baekhyun is pouting miserably at him, puppy eyes round and glassy with guilt. He is still shuffling left and right fretfully, his shoulders hunched in shame and his fingers lacing and unlacing in worry. It’s endearing, and it brings a smile on Chanyeol’s lips.

“We don’t have hot water because there is none, probably” Chanyeol explains to him, turning off the water flow and getting on his feet. Baekhyun looks unconvinced and still guilt-ridden, shrinking back skeptically as Chanyeol approaches him but allowing him to get as close as he wants in the end. “You did nothing wrong” he reassures him, ruffling Baekhyun’s silken hair playfully. Baekhyun sighs in relief, closing his eyes and leaning into Chanyeol’s touch for comfort, just like a kitten.

“You’re warm” he mumbles drowsily with his eyes still closed, making a tiny step closer as Chanyeol’s fingers continue to massage his scalp. Baekhyun feels the cold different from Chanyeol, who is gifted with fire; but even he is equally disappointed with the lack of a warm, relaxing bath. Baekhyun contentedly sighs again under his touch, and Chanyeol’s eyebrows draw together with a sudden thought; Baekhyun is right. He _is_ warm.

“Why don’t you put away our things, and I’ll take care of this” he suggests, pulling his hand out of Baekhyun’s soft hair and guiding him to the door. Baekhyun is dazed for the first few steps, but then he tunes into reality again and abruptly plants his feet in the doorway, turning around to look up at Chanyeol in panic.

“You can’t fight with the fairy ice man again” Baekhyun’s tone is reprimanding but his eyes are wide with worry. He looks even smaller at such short distance, their height difference more prominent whenever they stand close. Chanyeol chuckles nonchalantly and shakes his head.

“I won’t even talk to him; in fact, I won’t even leave the bathroom” he promises, giving Baekhyun a wide smile which he hopes makes him look trustworthy. After a few long moments, the tension drains from Baekhyun’s body, flowing down his limbs, but a disbelieving and bewildered frown remains carved between his eyebrows. Chanyeol assures him again and sends him to his chore; Baekhyun reluctantly obeys, keeping his suspicious gaze on Chanyeol until the very last moment.

Once Chanyeol is alone in the bathroom, he first picks a scented soap and drops a few colorful dollops in the water. Then, he sits on the edge of the bathtub and dips his hand into the cold water, splaying his fingers and focusing on warmth; he increases the warmth gradually, not creating fire but feeling the heat flowing through his fingers and under his skin, oozing out. He makes a few swirls, trying to spread out the heat as much as he can and creating bubbles on the surface; when he tests the temperature with his dry hand, the water has started to warm up. A triumphant smile spreads on his lips and he tries even harder. _Baekhyun will be happy with this._

Just as he thought about him, Baekhyun casually walks into the bathroom again with a curious pout on his lips, his coat missing and his hair a little ruffled from Chanyeol’s fingers earlier. Chanyeol freezes in surprise, having been caught red-handed, and it takes a moment of confusion on both sides until Baekhyun gasps at the sight, realizing what the taller has been up to while he was in the other room. Chanyeol opens his mouth to say something, but Baekhyun beats him to it.

“Wait right there” he mumbles his instructions with conviction and jumps out of the bathroom again, leaving a dumbfounded Chanyeol behind. Chanyeol hadn’t been planning on going anywhere, but he cannot imagine what Baekhyun wants. Soon, however, Baekhyun walks back into the room with an armful of clothes and towels, which he deposits on the side. He kicks off his shoes, his eyes focused on the tub with anticipation, and Chanyeol is still not sure what the shorter is planning, watching him closely –until he starts pulling his shirt out of his belt, exposing the pristine skin of his abdomen. Chanyeol chokes on air and flails.

“Whoa, wait, Baekhyun!” he squeals in fluster, closing his eyes tightly and covering them with his hand for good measure. He has had thoughts about Baekhyun’s body before, but he has never seen anything indecent; even that short flash of skin will be enough to rile him up for days. It’s better if he is not tempted to have a sneak peek. His cheeks grow warm and his heart beats fast. “What are you doing?” his voice is still pitched in fluster, scandalized and embarrassed.

“I’m undressing to take a bath, isn’t that how it’s done?” Baekhyun replies obviously, but it’s partly a genuine question, as if he is not entirely sure of the customs of this world. It’s endearing how lost he sounds, and it helps Chanyeol calm down a little.

“Just wait until I get out first” he admonishes, his voice more gentle. His ears are burning from embarrassment just at the thought of Baekhyun undressing in front of him. They are close, but they have always respected each other’s privacy. A cold hand wraps around Chanyeol’s wrist out of the blue, and for a terrible moment he fears Baekhyun might pull his hand away from his eyes, so he closes them even tighter. But Baekhyun simply holds onto him, keeping him in place.

“No~” he whines in distress, the air around Chanyeol shifting; did he come closer? Chanyeol’s stomach stirs uncomfortably; he doesn’t know how many clothes Baekhyun still has on, if any, and he doesn’t want to find out, so he can’t check how close he is standing. “If you leave, the water will turn cold again” Baekhyun mumbles in a small voice, sounding miserably disappointed at the thought. It’s true that if he leaves, the water will gradually turn cold again, given the temperature of this room. Chanyeol sighs, trying to work around that problem, and Baekhyun’s hold trembles slightly for some reason.

“I’ll make it really hot so it will take a while to cool” he proposes reasonably.

“Are you planning on boiling me alive?” it’s Baekhyun’s turn to sound scandalized, his fingers clutching Chanyeol’s wrist. Chanyeol gasps at the horrid scenario but he is not given a change to refute it. “Why can’t you just stay?” the shorter pleads, his tone much more gentle and small, like a child being denied a favor. Chanyeol sighs again, tired and reluctant.

“Because you won’t be wearing any clothes” he enunciates, making sure the words come out clearly even though it takes a lot of effort to voice them out. He thought that, in spite of their differences, the two of them had a similar sense of privacy, at least on basic things that the rest of the world dictates as decent. Back in the forest, whenever they had to bathe, one of them always left, distancing himself until he was out of sight, out of courtesy. They might have been exchanging clothes and sleeping close to each other, but they have never shown more skin than necessary. Baekhyun has always been comfortable with his body, confident in his moves and spontaneous with his touches, but Chanyeol is not the same; he has always been hated for the very same body he has today, and he never really outgrew the insecurities about his appearance, just like his doubt of his self worth. He tends to be more stiff and aware –but that is not Baekhyun’s fault.

“I don’t mind that, not if it’s you at least” Baekhyun mutters shyly after a few long moments of silence. Chanyeol’s heart gives an awkward thud. “I’d rather you stayed here, even if I am a little embarrassed, than being left alone in this strange place” His words deliver the perfect blow to Chanyeol’s protective soft spot for Baekhyun, and he inwardly groans in defeat. There’s not much he can do when Baekhyun is being so vulnerable, asking for his help.

“Okay, go ahead then” he concedes with a defeated sigh, his shoulders slumping. “I won’t look” he promises, keeping his hand firmly pressed over his eyes. He swears he can practically see the triumphant smile when Baekhyun lets out a delighted squeal and lets go of Chanyeol’s wrist hurriedly to undress. Chanyeol can feel the air shifting against him, but he’d rather believe there is an open window somewhere he doesn’t know than think of Baekhyun stripping of all his clothes in such proximity. He keeps his thoughts on butterflies and blue skies, trying to ignore the situation.

Baekhyun needs to hold onto Chanyeol’s shoulder to step into the bathtub, his grip firm so that he won’t lose his balance. The water of the tub sloshes around, licking the edges of the marble and splashing against Chanyeol’s skin while Baekhyun shifts, trying to get comfortable. A part of skin –presumably a knee– brushes against Chanyeol’s fingertips, and his hand recoils from the startling contact as if he is the one who got burnt. Eventually, Baekhyun sighs and relaxes in the water, enjoying the warmth.

“You can look now, there are plenty of bubbles” Baekhyun urges him naively, poking Chanyeol’s arm with a cold finger unexpectedly. Chanyeol is so startled from the touch that he flinches violently, nearly losing his balance and falling over his perch on the edge of the tub. Baekhyun shrinks back in shock, the water rippling again; he hadn’t foreseen such a reaction to his playful, harmless poke. Chanyeol thankfully doesn’t fall flat on his face on the cold floor and manages to stay upright.

“No, I won’t look” he denies vehemently, shaking his head for emphasis. His heart is racing his mind on which will voice out their contradicting decision first; he is glad reason prevailed. It’s already too much that his hand is in the same water as Baekhyun’s naked body. It’s not about the bubbles, it’s about what lies beneath them, and he is determined not to look, even if a small part of him is urging him to peek at Baekhyun, flashing in his mind mental images of Baekhyun’s smooth skin, flushed from the heat and glistening from the bubbles on his shoulders; those are the sprouting thoughts Chanyeol is trying to crush, even though Baekhyun himself is not helping with his innocently tempting propositions.

“You’re so stubborn” Baekhyun groans, kicking his feet childishly underwater. No one has accused Chanyeol of being stubborn before, not that it falls short of the truth, but no one ever really knew him as well as Baekhyun. He doesn’t attempt to deny it, and that exasperates Baekhyun even further. “At least open your eyes; I don’t have a reflection in the mirror across from us” he sounds impatient and a little scolding, as if Chanyeol is being an uncooperative child.

Reluctantly, Chanyeol parts the fingers of the hand covering his eyes, just enough to crack his lashes open and peek through. His gaze lands on his own reflection in the mirror, cheeks and ears pink, with one hand foolishly covering his eyes like a blushing schoolboy. He sees the edge of the tub, the water and the floating bubbles he created earlier, but no sign of Baekhyun, even though he can feel his body moving in the water near his hot fingertips. Baekhyun spoke the truth; not that he’d have any reason to lie, but Chanyeol is too reserved sometimes. He drops his hand from his face, taking in the picture of the entire bathroom. Baekhyun’s clothes are lying in a heap by Chanyeol’s feet, his shoes discarded further away; so, it wasn’t just Chanyeol’s imagination, Baekhyun really _was_ that close when he was undressing.

“What is it like to have no reflection?” Chanyeol asks idly, mostly to distract himself from the improper thoughts invading his mind. They have grown close enough to talk about themselves comfortably, even about things that are not always pleasant. He finds Baekhyun even more interesting now that he shares little pieces about himself, if that is possible. Baekhyun hums a little thoughtfully before answering the question.

“I don’t really need to know what I look like” he explains casually, and Chanyeol nods understandingly in the mirror. He guesses it’s not any different from having no shadow; Chanyeol feels uncomfortable whenever people point it out as a sign of his unnatural existence, but he personally doesn’t mind, since he doesn’t have much use for a shadow. Baekhyun has a general idea of what he looks like, based on fragments he has collected from surfaces that happen to show his reflection, and that is probably all he needs to know about his appearance. Chanyeol still thinks it’s a pity Baekhyun can’t see how adorable he is when he pouts or how prettily his eyes curve when he smiles.

Baekhyun is relaxed and comfortable in the water, and he starts talking about many things, taking Chanyeol’s mind off of his worries and any lingering embarrassment. He tells Chanyeol about the things he liked in their earlier trip downtown, about the sunlight and the colors and the food, and he asks Chanyeol to explain to him once again the concept of money. He had never seen such a thing before, and he noticed it when Chanyeol paid for their purchases at the market and for the room they’re staying for tonight. Baekhyun insists it’s a lot, but Chanyeol doesn’t think it’s much; he has brought with him almost all his savings from the time he worked at the bakery, and even though it was dead weight in the forest, now it has started being useful again. They talk for some time, giggling and laughing occasionally; Chanyeol forgets all about their compromising situation. It’s another effect of Baekhyun, making him used to anything, even to things that seemed so foreign before.

When Baekhyun’s exhaustion catches up to him, he deems himself clean enough and warns Chanyeol to close his eyes if he wants to, before coming out of the water. Chanyeol doesn’t close his eyes childishly this time, but he does look away, to give Baekhyun some privacy and to hide his blushing cheeks. The image of Baekhyun rising from the water, small rivulets running down the planes of his body, is not easy to ignore. There is some shuffling while Baekhyun pats himself dry and gets dressed in the clean nightclothes he brought with him to the bathroom earlier, and then he walks around Chanyeol to stand in front of him dutifully.

“It’s your turn” he mumbles sleepily, rubbing the edge of one eye with his pretty fingers. He has to look down a bit to focus on Chanyeol, who is still seated on the edge of the bathtub, and his eyes look even droopier from this angle. His skin is refreshed and tender, and his body is shivering under his clothes from the different temperature in the room. Chanyeol unthinkingly rests one hand on Baekhyun’s hip, to help him keep his balance when he sways a bit.

“Go lie down while you’re still warm, I won’t be long” he advises in a gentle voice, his lips curling into a small smile. He doesn’t mention how embarrassed he would be if Baekhyun stayed while Chanyeol bathed –it doesn’t seem necessary. He hopes his suggestion is enough to convince the shorter otherwise, when he seems to have every intention to stay with Chanyeol. Baekhyun yawns cutely, exactly like a puppy, and he nods in agreement wordlessly, his hand still rubbing the edge of his blue eye. But he doesn’t leave right away, staying in his spot for a few moments longer, enjoying the comforting massage Chanyeol’s thumb is pressing against his hip. Only then does Chanyeol realize that he has no excuse or permission to touch Baekhyun like that, and he withdraws his hand, slowly, so that he won’t startle Baekhyun awake.

Baekhyun leaves for the bedroom, closing his door behind him but leaving it slightly ajar again. Chanyeol absentmindedly listens to the smaller diving under the covers and curling on his pillow, seeking some warmth to sleep. His breaths grow deep and steady gradually. Chanyeol undresses and submerges underwater, making it almost boiling hot to feel the difference on his skin. The bubbles Baekhyun had been playing with earlier are still floating in the air, and Chanyeol relaxes, letting his mind wander while the water washes away the impurities on his skin. He hasn’t slept under a roof in weeks and, even though it feels a little foreign, he finds it oddly consoling. The water’s warm caress against his strained muscles is soothing and almost lulls him to sleep.

When he comes out of the water, fresh and calm, he dries himself and slips into the clean nightclothes Baekhyun brought for him earlier, alongside his own things. It’s a small, thoughtful gesture which doesn’t fail to warm Chanyeol’s heart and bring a smile on his tired features. He tides up a bit, picking Baekhyun’s forgotten clothes from the floor and folding them with his own, setting them aside to wash tomorrow. He also puts their shoes in order by the door, quietly chuckling at the difference in size.

He turns off the lights and steps into the bedroom; it takes a few blinks for his eyes to adjust, until he can see perfectly well every detail in the darkness. He checks on Baekhyun before anything else, folded around himself with the covers wrapped around him impossibly, up to his ears, to shield out the cold. He has thrown the blanket they bought today over the others, but he still seems to feel cold, forming a heap of linens on the bed; he looks like a small breathing bundle of limbs. Chanyeol then walks to the unoccupied bed on the other side of the room and hides under the flimsy covers; he has to adjust his temperature to get comfortable.

Some time passes and Chanyeol is drifting closer to dreamland with every breath, when suddenly, a shuffling sound breaks the silence in the room; his sensitive ears pick it up easily and his eyes shoot open immediately in alarm. Instead of finding anything unusual, however, he sees Baekhyun, standing beside his bed. He has wrapped all the covers around him, leaving only a small opening where his face can be seen, and the rest of him is a shivering lump of linen standing on two bare feet. He is looking down at Chanyeol, seemingly wide awake and unsure of what to do.

“Are you awake?” he whispers meekly, wide eyes blinking at Chanyeol repentantly. He sounds genuinely afflicted, biting his lower lip in guilt. Chanyeol frowns in confusion, still feeling drowsy. The real question is, why is Baekhyun awake; Chanyeol was so sure that he had been sleeping till one moment ago. Baekhyun awkwardly shifts his balance from foot to foot on the floor. “It’s cold” he murmurs, answering Chanyeol’s unvoiced question. _Ah, so that’s why he is still awake._

It makes sense that Baekhyun is cold, even with the extra blankets, and he probably won’t find peace to sleep in his bed, even though he is just as tired as Chanyeol at the moment. The taller inwardly groans, regretting once again having booked the inn of an ice fairy for the night. Some wheels are turning in his head but Chanyeol is too drained to pay attention and make sense of them. Suddenly, an idea presents itself in his mind as a solution, and it might not be the brightest, but he will take anything in this state.

“Come’ere” he grunts with effort through his jammed lips, clumsily scooting to the edge of the bed and holding the covers as an invitation to Baekhyun. If he were more awake, he might have still made the same proposition, only it would have felt infinitely more awkward. But now it only feels like a good solution to their problem; he has slept close to Baekhyun before, on the hard ground of narrow caves and on scratchy grass of open fields, sharing a soft bed shouldn’t be so difficult. He can keep Baekhyun warm enough to fall asleep and rest for the night. Baekhyun seems to like this idea instantly and he drops all the covers to the floor in a heartbeat without hesitation, crawling under Chanyeol’s arm like had been prepared for this moment all his life.

It’s a tight fit on a single bed; so tight that Chanyeol worries Baekhyun will fall over, so he reaches one arm behind him to hold onto the smaller while he wiggles and shifts under their shared covers, making the mattress dip on his side. Chanyeol is too tired to pay attention to what Baekhyun is doing exactly, letting him squirm freely, without attempting to help or pull away. He doesn’t even feel a nudge or poke while Baekhyun moves around so close to him, until he finds a comfortable position to rest. Chanyeol’s eyes progressively grow heavier, flashing disjointed pictures of the world around him for split seconds before receding to darkness again. He forgets to remove his arm, his limb remaining wrapped around Baekhyun’s body, numb and heavy with sleep.

After Baekhyun has settled beside him, Chanyeol feels at ease. In a fleeting moment of incoherent lucidity, he does a mental check of their position. Baekhyun’s body is lying close against him, shivering slightly to soak up Chanyeol’s warmth. He has one thigh lodged between Chanyeol’s legs, and Chanyeol almost flinches at the freezing touch of feet against his calf, but he is too tired to stir. Baekhyun has tucked one hand over Chanyeol’s ribs, under his arm –the very same arm that extends around Baekhyun, draping over his waist and back. Baekhyun’s face is near Chanyeol’s neck, his warm breath tickling the skin whenever it sneaks over his clavicles and down his shirt a little. Chanyeol has never had someone wrapped around him so much, not even while awake, but he doesn’t find it uncomfortable, surprisingly enough.

“Goodnight, Yeol” Baekhyun mumbles, his lips and cold nose pressing against Chanyeol’s shoulder. He sighs in relief in Chanyeol’s arms, and Chanyeol grumbles in response –at least he thinks he does, he is too sleepy to be certain. He kisses Baekhyun’s silken hair; he smells a little like the scented soap Chanyeol chose earlier, mixed with his natural rose scent, coming stronger in wafts of warm air that escape their bodies. Chanyeol thinks it’s nice and warm with Baekhyun in the bed, the cold banished from their kingdom of two bodies, and he doesn’t mind at all doing this again and again. He also thinks Baekhyun is soft, gathering him closer to his chest and sailing to his dreams.

 

 

[Continue to Chapter 2]


	2. Animae Sine Amore Immortales (2/3)

It’s the bright hour before sunset when they enter the next town. It’s a quaint town, with clean roads and picturesque houses, with tiled roofs and gardens in full bloom. The people seem very lively, children chasing their balls and adults strolling down the streets. The sky is wide and blue, the scent of food is wafting in the air, and there are flower garlands wrapped around small, unlit electrical lights, which hang like ribbons from house to house over the roads and squares, creating a floral web over the entire city. There seems to be some sort of preparation for a festival, housewives building small shrines of stones and pastel colored candles, decorating them with flowers and leaves outside their doors, and elders telling tales to an audience of wide-eyed children on the front porch.

Baekhyun generally likes towns; they’ve been to a few with Chanyeol, and he thinks all of them are prettier than small villages. The people are friendlier and less indiscreet to the miscellaneous travelers, and there are many more interesting things to do. Baekhyun especially likes markets; even though they are too crowded for his tastes, they have many strange trinkets and machines, and lots of delicious food. He is not used to crowds and it sometimes feels like he might get lost if he doesn’t hold onto Chanyeol’s hand tighter, but he wouldn’t have it any other way; when he looks at Chanyeol, the rest of the world seems to fade. He likes it best whenever Chanyeol gets carried away by the energy of the markets and starts babbling about his city and those markets, sharing stories with all the little details, so that Baekhyun can pick them up and make them his own.

It’s a strange world outside of the woods; there are things like electricity and money, which Baekhyun doesn’t understand very well, and sometimes it’s a little intimidating to live so exposed, but he believes he will be okay if he has Chanyeol by his side. Everyone seems so used to having people around, depending on them, being close to them, but Baekhyun thinks he doesn’t want or need anyone other than Chanyeol, no matter where they are. Sometimes, he feels like he is the odd one out, like stumbling out of synch at a crowded maypole; Chanyeol is beside him through it all. There are new things to explore every day, but nothing is worth as much as discovering Chanyeol. Baekhyun would have never dared hope for a day when he would be able to hold his hand, talk to him, see snippets of the world with him, sleep next to him, laugh in the daylight and whisper in the moonlight, being close to him. He doesn’t know if his decision to follow Chanyeol on this journey had been wise, but it has undoubtedly led to the best days of his life.

Walking down the city streets, Chanyeol seems fascinated, eyes wide to observe the colorful surroundings. He has taken off his hood but the people don’t seem to mind his unusual appearance; little children wave at him from the balconies and people pass beside him without flinching. Everyone seems friendly and pleasant, smiling unreservedly at all passersby, welcoming them to their festive town. If only it was as harmless as it looks.

It’s a beautiful town, one of the prettiest places they’ve seen since they left the forest. Baekhyun should like it; it’s bright and colorful, with many interesting sights and sociable people. But he feels like something is wrong, like all this pretty cover of celebrations conceals something far more morbid and dark. It is like a blooming flower with beautiful petals that hides poison in its core. He hasn’t taken off his hood, instead pulling it lower over his face, cautious of the sinister feeling in his bones. Unlike Chanyeol, who is the son of fire and the sunlight runs in his veins, Baekhyun sometimes gets tired from the sun, but this haunting feeling has nothing to do with the abundant sunshine; it’s like an incessant whispery spell against his ears that invades his senses and makes everything seem muddled and confusing. Chanyeol lets him trail close to him without asking questions, and Baekhyun holds onto his cape for every step.

It’s strange that Chanyeol seems unaffected. Of course he has had many years to practice amongst people, but this is not like the voices and heartbeats that surround them to ignore; Baekhyun can’t find the origin no matter how much he looks around, but he is sure it’s coming from this town –perhaps from the whole town. They walk down the lively streets in search of a place to spend the night, passing by a road with red ribbons tied on the night lanterns, which seems to be leading to the center of the festival; Baekhyun swears the whispers become so intense then, that he can almost discern words in them. He flinches visibly at the voices, and Chanyeol notices his discomfort at last.

“Are you okay?” he asks in concern, stirring them to the side of the road, away from the lanterns and the whispers. Baekhyun breathes in relief; even though he can still hear the voices distantly, they’re not as disturbing now. Chanyeol lifts Baekhyun’s hood to peek underneath its shadow uncertainly, his burgundy eyes searching for Baekhyun’s gaze; the latter gets momentarily distracted by Chanyeol’s beautiful, almond shaped eyes, outlined by his dark lashes, but he returns the serious look.

“Probably, I’m a little tired” Baekhyun mumbles after a silent, meaningful moment of eye contact, shaking his head dismissively. It’s not a lie –he _can’t_ lie– but at least this truth won’t worry the taller as much as Baekhyun hearing insubstantial hostile voices. Chanyeol looks unconvinced, his lips slanting to the side and denting his cheek with a dimple.

“We will find an inn soon” he promises, swiping Baekhyun’s black bangs to the side as a comforting touch, then he fixes the hood over Baekhyun’s head as it was before with careful fingers, stroking his head once before taking his hand to lead the rest of the way. Baekhyun feels a little better when Chanyeol is holding his hand, as if he is suddenly in a glass box that keeps most things around him at a safe distance.

The inn they choose is a quiet place, clean and brightly decorated, with warm light coming out of the windows. Chanyeol studies it for a long time, eyes and ears surveying it carefully before they walk in; he is always very cautious, making sure they will not have any trouble at night, from noisy neighbors to heatless rooms. Baekhyun feels so tired after constantly fighting against the whispering chants since they first walked in this town, so he lets Chanyeol make all the decisions for them; the taller tries to ask for his opinion but he only strokes Baekhyun’s hand comfortingly when he sees how exhausted the shorter looks. A pleasant warmth envelops them as soon as they walk through the doors, and Chanyeol leads them to the front desk; Baekhyun barely manages to put one foot in front of the other properly, his head suddenly swimming.

It gets worse when Chanyeol lets go of his hand to greet the nice, middle-aged lady behind the reception desk. Baekhyun’s world swirls and tilts uncontrollably, the colors blending in his sight and all sounds smearing together, with a recurrent beat of whispers. He blinks repeatedly but he can’t find focus, he starts breaking out in a cold sweat, his body feeling weird, as if it’s being poked from all sides and has turned to jelly. He has never felt so strange and dizzy in his life. _What’s wrong with me?_

He thinks he hears Chanyeol booking a double room and making polite conversation with the lady –from her tone of voice, she seems utterly charmed by the tall and handsome stranger. _No, no it’s not the time for such thoughts_ , Baekhyun internally whines, his body instinctively leaning closer to Chanyeol because that is all it knows, even when his head is reeling. He is a little surprised when Chanyeol curls an arm around his shoulders instantly, supporting his weight when his weak legs can’t take it anymore, as if he had been expecting this to happen any moment. He is not the least bit hindered by his ongoing conversation with the woman, but it is cut short from that moment, after the woman realizes that the tall man’s friend is not in good condition and needs to rest. Baekhyun finds himself being ushered to a grand staircase, his vision drifting in and out of focus.

“Can you walk up?” Chanyeol murmurs under his breath, only for Baekhyun to hear, his voice sounding a bit worried even in a whisper. Baekhyun looks up to assess the stairs, squinting his eyes for a clearer view; it’s a tall staircase made of wood, curving out of sight following the corner of the guesthouse. The railing is dressed with branches, green leaves and red ribbons, and Baekhyun puts all his effort into shuffling to the opposite side, to hold onto the stone wall for support; he doesn’t want to touch that thing. Chanyeol gently takes his other hand in his warm hand, and they slowly start following the lady up the stairs.

“Why do they put this thing into their houses?” Baekhyun hisses breathlessly, still feeling dizzy but finding the strength to glare at the offensive green plant. It’s _everywhere_ and it is poisonous, polluting the air all across this town. Chanyeol curls an arm around Baekhyun’s waist for support when Baekhyun nearly stumbles forward.

“It’s part of the festival; they believe it protects them from evil spirits” the taller answers him absentmindedly, helping him up the last few stairs with the lady encouraging them from the top of the staircase. _If only that’s what the plant did_ , Baekhyun thinks bitterly, biting his lip in effort. That’s why he is feeling sick; the entire town wants him gone. He is very old, enough to endure it –he would be unaffected in his true form– but in this form, it makes him weak.

The lady leads them to a room down the corridor and opens the door for them. It’s bright and warm inside, a big window on the side letting the dying sunlight flow in endlessly. Chanyeol sets aside their shared bag of things and helps Baekhyun further inside the room, letting go only for a moment to turn around and thank the lady, dismissing her with a few short, polite words. Baekhyun blinks, disoriented and unfocused, his sense of gravity dissipating without Chanyeol by his side.

A short glance around the room is enough to terrify him; the plant is in every corner and wall he looks, arranged with flowers in decorations hanging by the bedposts and adorning all tables, even on the window ledge. Baekhyun’s eyes widen, his breath lodged awkwardly in his lungs. _Oh, no._

He doesn’t hear the door closing over the rush of blood in his veins, his panic rising when the ground sways dangerously and tilts in his line of vision; he knows he is falling, but he doesn’t have the physical awareness to protect his body, flailing numbly towards the floor. Luckily, Chanyeol is there to catch him before he crushes to the floor. Baekhyun hears the air swishing in his ears when he loses balance, and the next moment he has fallen against a broad chest, feeling strong arms wrapping around him. He closes his eyes when bright sunlight assaults his eyes, his hood no longer protecting him. Chanyeol gasps in horror when he sees Baekhyun’s ashen face.

“Baek, are you sick? Why didn’t you tell me?” he asks, voice thinner and louder in concern. In truth they both know that Chanyeol is talking to himself out of nervousness, not expecting an answer from Baekhyun, who is limp in his arms. He loses no time, hooking one arm under Baekhyun’s knees and one behind his back, and then the ground disappears; he carries Baekhyun like a ragdoll to one of the beds, carefully setting him down on the covers –and unknowingly worsening his condition.

Baekhyun tries to warn him about the toxic decorations, but his lips are numb and he chokes on his voice as soon as his back hits the mattress. The air around him turns stale and an invisible pressure settles on his chest, turning heavier with every breath, his lungs itching uncomfortably. He feels so cold, his body shivering, his fingers frozen in Chanyeol’s warm hold. Chanyeol sits close beside him on the bed and brushes strands of Baekhyun’s hair out of his eyes, handling him as delicately as possible. Still, Baekhyun can’t see him; it’s all a blur or a shadow at best, and his useless eyes well with desperate tears.

“What’s wrong, Baek? You’re scaring me” Chanyeol’s anxious voice is the only thing he can understand, those damn whispers ceaselessly wheezing in his ears. He thrushes around, trying to escape the gruesome shroud he is trapped in, but it is futile. He tries to point at the branch he remembers seeing hung by the bedpost, but he can’t control his hands as if they’re foreign; instead, his body keeps shifting to his vampire form on its own accord, trying to protect itself from the imminent threat, panicked and confused. His claws come out, and accidentally nip Chanyeol’s skin; Baekhyun hears him hiss, and he feels horrible for it, but he can’t even direct his gaze at Chanyeol, much less apologize. He clenches his teeth and tries again, turning towards where he remembers the bedpost was, arching his back and groaning in discomfort.

“The plant?” Chanyeol guesses instantly, his voice incredulous; thank the heavens he understood right away. Baekhyun sighs and gives up, slumping lifelessly on the pillow. Chanyeol gets the message and is quick to react. “I’ll take them all away, hold on” he promises urgently, pressing a small kiss on Baekhyun’s forehead before his presence shifts away and his weight disappears from the bed.

In a matter of seconds, Chanyeol rounds the room gathering all poisonous plants in his way. The more of them he removes, the better Baekhyun feels; especially after those beside the bed are gone. He heaves and coughs, but he breathes more freely now. The lines of the world return, shapes and colors finding their proper match; the ceiling is painted light blue like the morning sky, Baekhyun notices. Chanyeol throws everything into the bathroom with a little clatter and locks the door promptly, his footsteps passing by Baekhyun’s bed to open the window for fresh air; it’s not completely fresh, impure by the abnormal amount of poison in every street corner, but it’s enough to refresh the room. Chanyeol returns to the bed, tentatively sitting beside Baekhyun and making the bed dip under his weight like before.

“Are you feeling any better? How are you?” he asks, his deep voice laced with concern and apprehension. He caresses Baekhyun’s hair gently, and Baekhyun, still panting to catch his breath, turns to look at him.

His figure comes into focus slowly; first his broad shoulders, then his dark locks illuminated by the sunset in golden and red hues. Then there is the strong line of his eyebrows, curled close to each other, his forehead creased with worry. The skin over his sculpted cheekbones looks pale, his plum lips parted and glistening when he licks them nervously. His eyes are a beautiful shade of deep cherry red, wide and a little frantic with worry. The color swirls a little in them, a sign of intense emotions, and Baekhyun’s lips curl into a fond smile without him really noticing. _You’re not supposed to be so worried about me, silly._

“Thank you” he mumbles quietly, and Chanyeol sighs audibly in relief, his entire body slumping a little forward. Baekhyun’s body is still numb, his senses slow, but he feels tingles running everywhere through him when Chanyeol suddenly rushes forward and envelops him in a hug, not a heartbeat later.

Chanyeol presses him against his chest, almost lifting him off the bed with how tight he is holding him, his arms squeezing Baekhyun powerfully. Baekhyun senses Chanyeol’s alleviation like a ray of sun breaking through the clouds, combining with his own assuagement and burning warmer in his veins. He cannot move a muscle, the links between them knotting tightly, but he wouldn’t want to move in the first place. It’s their first embrace and he is just recovering from a near death experience, but he feels the bonds between them reaching and curling around his bones. He chuckles at Chanyeol’s childish act and tries to wrap his arms around the taller, reciprocating a little clumsily, bumping against parts of Chanyeol’s body until he finds the right places for his limbs.

“You scared me” Chanyeol whispers sadly, tightening his hold impossibly and burying his nose in Baekhyun’s hair. It’s a sweet moment, and Baekhyun allows himself to relax, letting his body mould against Chanyeol’s muscular lines.

“Sorry” he mumbles in Chanyeol’s chest, breathing in his scent and rubbing his cheek against the elf’s neck. He feels much better now that the venomous leaves are gone, and with Chanyeol so close to him, not even the whispers can reach him. It’s the first moment of peace in a long day, and now he realizes how tired he is, from trying to withstand the burden of the chants.

“It’s okay” Chanyeol comforts him, stroking his hand up and down Baekhyun’s back. “You might be allergic to it; and it’s literally everywhere” he growls in annoyance –the low sound reverberating between their bodies does strange things to Baekhyun but he doesn’t let anything show; perhaps his rosy cheeks will go unnoticed. Chanyeol gently lays him back to bed, and then turns away, frowning at the view outside the window, his eyes glinting amber in the sunlight. He looks thoughtful and perhaps a little agitated, angered with the outside world that never seems to be safe enough. Baekhyun can feel Chanyeol’s emotions; his great relief, remaining traces of fright, frustration and resentment. He shouldn’t feel like this, not because of Baekhyun. Baekhyun is the one who is supposed to worry for Chanyeol.

His eyes fall on Chanyeol’s forearm, where a long claw mark is slowly fading from red to the natural color of his pale skin. Baekhyun feels a pang of guilt at the sight, his hand reaching out tentatively to touch the sore spot. Chanyeol turns his attention back to him instantly when he feels the stroke of Baekhyun’s fingers on his skin.

“Don’t leave me tonight” Baekhyun asks in a small voice, his fingers curling around Chanyeol’s hand. He sounds pathetic –he is so _weak_ – but he knows his Chanyeol won’t deny him, not when he cares so much. Chanyeol’s eyes soften, the hint of a smile appearing on his lips.

“I’m not going anywhere” he reassures him, turning his hand so that he can hold Baekhyun’s hand properly. Warmth encases Baekhyun’s fingers and he smiles a little too. They exchange soft gazes for a while, until Chanyeol decides to lift their spirits a little. “Why do we bother booking rooms with two beds? We end up sharing them anyway” he rolls his eyes playfully and Baekhyun giggles, his voice still frail. “Can you shuffle to make some room for me, or should I help?” he asks, half playfully but also seriously offering. Baekhyun tries to move his limbs but he only manages to stir his waist without any significant result.

“A little help would be nice” he exhales in defeat, and Chanyeol only smiles and nods in understanding. He lifts Baekhyun’s shoulders first, placing him gently a few centimeters further on the mattress, his head finding a soft pillow. Then he turns around with his back to Baekhyun, to unlace Baekhyun’s boots, pulling them off; Baekhyun cringes a little when their rough material scrubs against the wounds.

Chanyeol gasps in shock, his body unmoving, and Baekhyun holds his breath. It’s just that Baekhyun’s shoes are still new and they hurt his feet a little –or a lot, sometimes. But his wounds heal quickly, they’re gone till next morning, it’s not worth complaining about. Chanyeol bought those shoes for him, and Baekhyun shall use them well. Chanyeol’s fingers touch over his ankle cautiously, grazing by the edges of a wound, but it’s so soft it doesn’t even hurt. Tiny, tender shivers run up Baekhyun’s body.

Chanyeol wordlessly retracts his fingers after a moment of inspection, and returns to his place beside Baekhyun with a thoughtful expression. Baekhyun expects to be scolded, but Chanyeol doesn’t say a thing about it; Baekhyun tentatively lets out the breath he had been holding. Chanyeol is silent while he takes off his vest and lies next to Baekhyun, his attention devoted to arranging the smaller gently so that he can lie against him. He places Baekhyun’s legs close to his own and Baekhyun tries to wiggle closer for some warmth; Chanyeol pulls him closer to his chest and holds him in place with an arm around his waist, and then he tucks Baekhyun’s head under his chin –he has grown used to exposing his neck to Baekhyun, even though that’s against their instincts. Baekhyun sighs and stirs very little until he is perfectly comfortable and warm in Chanyeol’s arms, crimson sunlight turning hazy beneath his heavy lashes.

He falls asleep before the sun falls from the sky.

But Baekhyun wakes up again, in the middle of the night, his forehead drenched in sweat and his heart beating fast. Chanyeol is sleeping peacefully beside him, deep breaths and lax features, and the sky outside the window is dark but not entirely, flickers of a bonfire in the distance hiding the stars. Baekhyun feels sick again.

The lanterns are lit outside the window; the celebration is in full swing, songs mixing with the chants in his ears. He doesn’t know what these people are _doing_ , but they are dangerously unaware. They are feasting and celebrating, rejoicing and smiling, feeling happy and carefree while chanting phrases that could be deadly. It’s their ignorance that makes them so recklessly dangerous; they think they are chasing evil spirits away from their land, but they are only succeeding in killing or torturing every peaceful existence which is innocently different from them.

Baekhyun groans and tries to move his sore body, feeling like his limbs are made of led and his head is made of hay. His skin is cold and the air smells of burnt herbs and festivities. There is not much room in Chanyeol’s arms, tangled as their bodies are, but that is not the reason Baekhyun is suffocating from within. In fact, everything else sickens him, except for Chanyeol; his scent and his heartbeat keep Baekhyun from falling apart and fainting back to darkness. This invisible attack has become painful; the whispering chants that crawl under his skin, the foul air that swarms his lungs, the clawing feeling in his gut. They might as well be stabbing him with jagged knives and circling him with smoke.

He wishes Chanyeol were awake; hearing his soothing voice would help alleviate the sting, his gaze would soften the hurt. A small gesture from him means so much more to Baekhyun.

Baekhyun finally manages to slither further up the bed in Chanyeol’s embrace, short of breath and lightheaded, but he doesn’t have the heart to wake him. He sleeps so peacefully, his breath escaping into the night air through his lips, his expression open and vulnerable, deep in his slumber. When they sleep together, Baekhyun can take his nightmares away –a small yet meaningful gift. All his life Chanyeol had to suffer horrid dreams, so these serene nights are a subtle source of comfort, and Baekhyun doesn’t want to take that away. Baekhyun bites his lips hesitantly, gaze wandering over the features of the beautiful, sleeping man; he is not sure he wants to do this, but he is left with no other choice. He hopes Chanyeol can forgive him.

Softly, gently, concealed in the darkness of the night, Baekhyun leans in and steals a chaste kiss from Chanyeol’s lips.

~~~

As the sun begins to set, they enter another roadside town, this one grey and sickly, but standing sturdily with the help of mechanical technology. It’s larger than the previous, unnamed villages they passed by on their way today, but it’s untidy and messy, like a pale white maze that stretches on both sides and over the main road. The uneven rooftops cast jagged shadows, reflecting intermittently with golden and russet sunlight on bare walls, and a heavy fog lingers on the dirty street corners, sipping under the door cracks and bleeding into the dents of the cobblestone streets. The mechanical buzz and blank distant voices, punctuated by occasional yells and cries, are the cacophonous music of this town, starved cats meowing under empty window ledges. This town seems barren, long broken and never rebuilt, swinging on its rusty hinges.

Chanyeol reluctantly surveys their surroundings the further they walk into the populated area. He notices the people walking with their heads low, the windows nailed shut, the yellow glow of candlelight pouring out of cracks and the revolting smell of intestine stew. The smoke comes black out of the chimneys and the town looks oddly squirming, like a box full of cockroaches. The fog lifts under their shoes as they pace down the paths, clinging on the hems of their coats and swirling around their knees, as if trying to trip them and anchor them. Chanyeol doesn’t like this dead place and he now wishes they had stayed at the previous, tiny village they passed; it was poor, but safer for the night.

“Stay close to me and keep your hood low” he whispers to Baekhyun, who is walking beside him with hurried steps to be able to keep up. He looks nervous when he wordlessly exchanges a glance with Chanyeol, and he stiffly fiddles with his hood, draping it over his head and tugging it all the way down to his nose. They remain silent and vigilant, it’s no time for words and explanations, but Baekhyun’s actions testify to his trust in Chanyeol, and that thought is oddly comforting in the foreign environment.

Baekhyun is never entirely comfortable outside of the woods; especially since his sudden, inexplicable allergy incident in that town. He is more cautious around people now, more quiet, following Chanyeol closely, as if he is afraid something ominous will happen if he strays a step further. In this strange town with its strange, faceless people, Chanyeol shares Baekhyun’s concern; he doesn’t mean to increase his worries, but he thinks it wiser to take precautionary measures. It feels like a human town, at least mostly human, but Chanyeol doesn’t trust anything he has seen so far. Baekhyun’s appearance is _unique_ , more so than Chanyeol’s, and it might stir unwanted attention.

Baekhyun quietly shuffles closer, blindly following in Chanyeol’s steps, two fingers pinching Chanyeol’s left sleeve and holding onto him.

The first inn they enter is located at a cleaner street, looking halfway preferable to the rundown neighborhoods they’ve passed. It looks decent for one night, quiet and warm. Inside, the common room is empty, in spite of its many candles flooding the space with light. The receptionist is a short man with small eyes, who grows abruptly tense when he surveys them after they walk in. Chanyeol becomes suspicious of it instantly; he doesn’t know what the man thinks of them but he knows when he’s unwelcome.

Baekhyun loosens his hold on him, but Chanyeol grabs his hand to stop him; he doesn’t want anyone to see Baekhyun yet. He can tell Baekhyun is slightly confused, but he twists his hand in Chanyeol’s hold and squeezes back, reassuring the taller that he understands. Their hands stay interlocked.

“Good evening, sir. I’d like a room, preferably with two beds, for tonight” Chanyeol tries to look friendly and harmless, giving the man a tight-lipped smile. He is good at faking amicable feelings, he has had years of practice. He reflexively reads the man’s soul, a mixture of green and muddled grey; the man seems utterly terrified. His reaction is bewilderingly disproportionate but all the more alarming; fear makes people reckless, unpredictable.

The receptionist stutters, eyes moving frantically between the two men in front of him, and Chanyeol is not even sure his request was heard. He opens his lips to repeat his words and the man all but screams, flinching and stuttering excuses as he stumbles away, promising to return with the manager. _Something is definitely wrong with this town._

“What’s the matter with him?” Baekhyun mumbles, once the distraught man is out of earshot, disappearing behind a staff door. Chanyeol frowns after him, suspicious of the way the man stared at his mouth while he spoke and his hysterical behavior. _He couldn’t have noticed…_ Chanyeol turns to Baekhyun for the few short minutes they have to themselves and stoops to peek at Baekhyun’s face under the hood, holding it out of the way with his hands; it’s kind of cute if he thinks about it, but that is irrelevant right now. Baekhyun blinks at him with lost, nervous eyes.

“You have to stay hidden and keep quiet; I don’t trust the people in this town” Chanyeol explains calmly, hoping Baekhyun won’t feel more uncomfortable than he already feels. He is determined to look into Baekhyun’s eyes until he is sure the shorter is reassured, and Baekhyun in turn searches in Chanyeol’s eyes for a few long moments. Eventually, he nods in agreement and Chanyeol inwardly sighs in relief.

Chanyeol turns around just in time to see a thin man, tall, with grey temples and thin glasses, walking towards them, followed by the receptionist they’ve already seen. The receptionist seems a fraction braver but he is still shaking in his boots, and the man who introduces himself as the manager of this inn might look composed, but Chanyeol reads him as inwardly distraught.

“We cannot accommodate you for the night, I’m afraid we’re fully booked” he lies, trying to sound collected and polite. He reeks of fear and it’s obvious in the effort he makes that he doesn’t want to aggravate his guests at all costs, but his lie is very obvious; they are standing in an empty inn, save for them and a couple, two people who are breathing in a room on the first floor. Chanyeol could challenge him and prove that the man is lying, even without including the information his superior senses provide him with, but he reads panic in the men before him, and he doesn’t want to risk an escalation that could threaten Baekhyun’s safety.

He stares the men down for a moment longer, even though they keep avoiding his eyes. “Do you have any suggestions for us then?” he tries smoothly, watching the two men closely for a reaction. They look even more uncomfortable than before, if it’s possible.

“I’m afraid I can’t help you, sir” the manager says, his voice shaking. He gulps down some of his nerves and continues “I don’t believe you can get a room at this hour, but there are many inns and taverns in the city. You’re welcome to try”

“I thought so” Chanyeol murmurs, keeping his eyes on the men, his mind racing ahead; they don’t want them in the city. He doubts anyone else will. Maybe it’s a general aversion to strangers or maybe something deeper is hiding under the lies, but he’s not sure he wants to find out either way. Chanyeol and Baekhyun leave the premises slowly and carefully; the men of the inn don’t dare move a muscle until the front door is closed behind their former guests.

“Should we go somewhere else?” Baekhyun asks once they are outside on the street again, his hand clutching Chanyeol’s tighter. Chanyeol observes the thinning crowd on the streets and then turns to Baekhyun; his eyes soften when they meet Baekhyun’s worried gaze. He tries to be brave for him, tugging the corners of his lips in a shadow of a smile and playfully pulling Baekhyun’s hood lower, to distract him from the somber mood momentarily.

“Let’s try”

They visit two more establishments, their quality criteria lowering with each pick. But it seems not even the lowest of hardly endurable buildings would accept them. They all have a shameless lie on the tip of their tongue, an excuse to send them away not so politely. It’s frustrating, but not worth fighting for; Chanyeol reads fear, shock, disgust, panic, and similar hostile feelings in everyone. They seem afraid of him, but also angry at him. Everyone, from the innkeepers to passersby, keeps staring at his mouth to an annoying degree; not even indiscreet people back in his native land, who thought his dignity less than dirt, stared so much.

It’s like the people here are _expecting_ to see his fangs, after a short first glance. Could they have a history with vampires, a bad one?

Baekhyun is getting hungry and tired from walking street after street, and it’s almost completely dark outside. Chanyeol thinks he has had enough of this horrible town too and he’s ready to spend the night in the woods, but at last, they are referred to a tavern that _might_ accommodate them, according to the most recent innkeeper who turned them down. There is something iffy in the way the man directs them, but Chanyeol gives him the benefit of a doubt; maybe more unwanted visitors like them are staying in that tavern, and by this point, Chanyeol will gladly sleep with vampires, if his alternative is humans who legitimately look like they’ll kill him in his sleep.

Unlike other buildings they’ve passed, the tavern at the address they’ve been given looks exuberantly lively, as if all the boisterous cockroaches of this city are gathered in there. Chanyeol eyes the grimy building with growing suspicion –he senses heartbeats, there are only more humans in there– and he feels Baekhyun sighing behind him.

“I will sleep hanging upside down from a branch if you let me” he deadpans wearily, giving Chanyeol a resigned look.

“I might take you up on that” Chanyeol puts all his effort into sounding half-decent, teasing and trying to cheer Baekhyun up; they both feel so tired. “This is the last one; if it doesn’t work out, we’ll sleep in the woods” he promises, rearranging Baekhyun’s hood, which had slid to the side. The shorter nods under his hood.

They enter the tavern with low expectations, to find it almost full with people, eating, laughing, singing, drinking –too much drinking, if you ask Chanyeol. The fire burns brightly in the hearth and the dozens of candles and lanterns all around the room, spilling light on the tables and the faces gathered around them, so crowded that the waitress has to circle around to reach certain areas. Everyone is being loud to be heard, over the musicians playing in the corner, over crass laughter and passionate conversations, over songs sung out of tune and the clutter of beer bottles and glasses. The scent of food is wafting in the air, an unusual mix of cabbage stew and expensive meat roast, and it mingles with the smell of alcohol, sweat and smoke.

All these things overwhelm their senses, and Baekhyun huffs in discomfort, shuffling closer to Chanyeol and nearly wrapping himself around the taller’s arm. Most people are too busy with themselves and their company to notice the newcomers, but they don’t have to stand idly for long in the middle of what looks like it could be a serving path between full tables. A middle-aged woman, with a sturdy yet unkempt appearance and red cheeks, approaches them, her eyebrows frowning on her forehead.

“What are you lads here for?” she mumbles warily, and she seems annoyed in the way she checks them up and down with her small eyes. Chanyeol reads hostility in her, so he doesn’t move or show any expression on his face that could trigger her.

“We would like a room for the night, and perhaps a table to dine” he explains calmly, but her frown only deepens, her hands crossing across her chest defensively. Her eyes also linger on his lips, sneaking peeks at his teeth, before she glares daggers at him, wincing only a little bit at the sight of his burgundy eyes.

“We don’t take the likes of you here” she says in a solemn tone that should be too quiet to be heard over the ongoing raucous, but, little by little, the room around them quiets down as if they all heard her loud and clear. Their reactions range from curiosity to aggression, but Chanyeol knows from their weird stares on him that they all know what he is and what the man hiding behind him might be too. Chanyeol has a bad feeling about this. One by one they fear and hate him, but as a mob they wouldn’t hesitate to attack him. Every person in the room detests his presence and is looking for a fight; Chanyeol inwardly curses at the man who sent them to this rat hole of a trap.

“I see. We’ll be going then” he murmurs quietly, avoiding direct eye contact with anyone, not to aggravate them further. He doesn’t want trouble. He knows they will try to hunt them down, because their hearts are so black that they feel obligated, crazed, obsessed to kill them, now that they are aware of their presence, but he and Baekhyun can hide in the woods and outrun them, blend in with the crowd in the next city and lose them for good. The only problem is that they have to get out of this building first while they are surrounded by armed and dangerous people.

He takes a step back and Baekhyun mimics him in perfect synchronicity, their moves smooth and slow, calculated to appear less threatening and composed, even though they are both very aware and intimidated by the danger lurking in the room; Baekhyun’s heart is palpitating fast against Chanyeol’s bicep. They back away two more steps closer to the door, before they are intercepted.

“And _where_ will you be going?” a tall man asks in a gruff voice, his tone almost openly mocking them. He has a beard that hides some of his scars but he has enough of them on display to be a fighter, perhaps a gang member or an outlaw –he definitely has the built for violent crimes, muscular and calloused hands testifying to his physical strength. He strolls self-assuredly to stand in front of Chanyeol, puffing out his chest to appear bigger and raising his chin in defiance. He is obviously up to no good, but everyone else in the room watches intently without objection -because a few damages around the place are nothing if they can inflict damage on the enemy. “I asked a question.” The man says sternly, his expression darkening. Chanyeol is tempted to stare him down, but that would diminish all hopes of avoiding confrontation.

“We are leaving” Chanyeol is forced to answer, glancing away. He keeps his tone smooth and poised, nothing to give away his nervousness and growing panic. But when he tries to take a step back, Baekhyun doesn’t budge, and they stay rooted in the same place. Chanyeol hopes Baekhyun is not frozen in fear, although the man is intimidating for a human and it would be reasonable to fear him. When he checks on Baekhyun with a glance, he realizes they have been surrounded by other dangerous men, probably the rest of the gang, and there is practically nowhere to go. _Shit, this wasn’t supposed to happen._

“Why did you come here in the first place?” the man asks in a poorly concealed sarcastic tone, his lopsided smirk revealing a golden tooth. He laces his arms across his enormous chest, giving off a nonchalant impression; he is confident, comfortable in his turf, trusting his comrades to help him do whatever he cannot do by himself. Chanyeol checks around again; there are gaps they could slip through between the intimidating men standing in a close circle around them, but more people with similar intensions have gathered a few steps further, and they would eventually bump into someone. They’re trapped. Chanyeol inwardly growls in discomfort; he doesn’t appreciate feeling like prey, and the only thing keeping him from lashing out is Baekhyun. He can’t risk Baekhyun getting hurt in such a place.

“We’re travelling; we don’t want trouble” he says clearly, hoping all the other swines as well as the one standing in front of him will realize that all they want is to get out of here peacefully. Truthfully, it doesn’t seem to be working.

“Oh, but you _are_ trouble” the man in front of him leers cockily, his voice low as if he is sharing a naughty secret with Chanyeol. All the fires in the room tremble imperceptibly; Chanyeol’s instincts are snapping their teeth, begging to swipe that smirk off. Approaching the limits of his patience, not so much from the man’s stupidly provoking manners but from standing so still in the face of danger, Chanyeol finally lifts his gaze in defiance and glares at the man. The bold, direct eye contact with his burgundy eyes unsettles the man for a moment, but he has drunk a bit more than he should tonight, and he returns to his former hostile and condescending stance towards Chanyeol, even though he knows his would be the first neck Chanyeol breaks if this escalates.

“Let us go” Chanyeol enunciates, his gaze scarily unwavering and his tone cold and sharp. Baekhyun’s fingers dig into his arm nervously, not knowing what to expect. “And we’ll leave you- all of you, alone, I swear” he adds more calmly, chancing a glance around the crowded, quiet room. There is a long moment of stillness, most of the patrons realizing that they shouldn’t have let the situation drag this far. If they know of vampires, they know what their guests are capable of, and after aggravating them to such an extent, this is clearly the final peace offer they’ll ever get. They would be wise to take it, Chanyeol is being generous.

An unattractive snort breaks the silence, coming from the man in front of him. “Your promises mean nothing to me. And it looks like you’re in no place to bargain” he mocks, eyeing Chanyeol from head to toe. Chanyeol would roll his eyes; such stupid people. But he keeps them on the man instead, trying to think of ways to hurt him just enough so that he and Baekhyun can escape.

“Well you’re awfully quiet, aren’t you?” another man asks teasingly from somewhere behind him, and Chanyeol’s body tenses, a chill rolling down his spine. _Not Baekhyun._ A murmur he could care less about spreads in the room. He diverts his gaze to the side and glares at the man who spoke out of the corner of his eye. Baekhyun’s heart picks up the pace, beating loud in distress against Chanyeol’s arm, and he tries to shuffle even closer; there is no room between them already, so he ends up pressing himself more firmly against Chanyeol. The taller is _this_ close to biting someone’s head off.

“Are you ugly? Why won’t you show your face?” another man pipes in, nudging his friend and laughing obnoxiously. Baekhyun stays dead still.

“Leave him alone” Chanyeol warns them in a dark tone, his hand curling around Baekhyun’s wrist possessively. The fires flicker uneasily, a morbid silence befalls the room and the men drop their smiles abruptly. Chanyeol doesn’t care about the death wish these stupid people have; he doesn’t want to hurt anyone, but he will burn them all alive if they lay a finger on Baekhyun. Harming him would be the point of no return for this town; he won’t hesitate to burn it to the ground.

“Is he your fuck toy?” the man who likes to daunt Chanyeol speaks up. Chanyeol snaps his head towards him, glaring daggers. He might not be Baekhyun’s mate, but he is trying very hard not to take those insults personally. The man proceeds to make a vulgar gesture at his crotch. “Cause we could use some of that” he wiggles his eyebrows lewdly and the room echoes with obscene whistles and laughter. It seems the crowd’s response encourages the men who spoke before, and they start their filthy comments again –and they’re not the only ones. Chanyeol doesn’t know how Baekhyun withstands such awful things being said about him, but the smaller hasn’t moved at all so far, not flinching even at the crudest remarks.

“Make him scream and beg for it” someone approves, some proposing that Baekhyun be violated in public, more ruthlessly than the last of whores; Chanyeol’s sensitive ears pick up some horridly sick and twisted tortures for the man none of them have even looked at. Chanyeol is tempted to burn up this place, just to save the rest of the world from its filth. Baekhyun simply keeps measuring his breaths, leaning on Chanyeol as if he is his anchor, and all Chanyeol can do is support him; how he wishes he could get Baekhyun out of here…

“Hell, even if he’s an ugly bitch, I’ll go at him for days. Ain’t that right, sweetheart?” one of the men closer to them calls, smirking and then laughing at Baekhyun’s impassive stance. Another man takes a breath and a hand moves, somewhere close. Chanyeol’s pupils narrow to slits.

“Hey, honey-”

“Stay away.” Chanyeol openly hisses, glaring at the man who attempted to lift a hand close to Baekhyun. He didn’t get close enough to touch, or the hand would no longer be attached to the rest of him. The man stumbles back in shock, and Chanyeol keeps staring at him, silently warning him of painful consequences if he, or anyone else, tries something like that again.

But there is damage done already, because in a split second of panic, Baekhyun flinched a little, recoiling from the approaching hand, and his hood slipped off his head, revealing his face. A collective gasp resounds in the room. Chanyeol inwardly curses. In a matter of seconds, Baekhyun hides his shocked face again, burying it against Chanyeol’s shoulder blade; his grip is shaking against Chanyeol’s arm, clearly upset. Unfortunately, Baekhyun’s unique appearance is hard to miss, and those few glimpses some took of his face are enough to fuel a new round of comments that would make anyone want to disappear.

“Damn, he’s a pretty little chick!” one of the men close to them shouts, sounding thrilled at the revelation. Chanyeol’s anger is fueled even more, his hands curling into fists. The things these people say, as a joke or not, are outrageous.

“All monsters look the same” the tall man who started all this grits through his teeth. When Chanyeol glares at him this time, the challenge is clear. He can no longer hide his loathing for this place and he doesn’t care to hide how dangerous he is to all these measly, pathetic existences. The man called them monsters, and Chanyeol actually wants to show him _just what sort_ of monster he can be; twist his neck and let him writhe on the floor in a pool of his own blood, tear him from limb to limb and burn him to ashes, shove his hand in his chest and carve his heart out for show.

Some people are preoccupied with expressing their opinions on monsters, but some are still focused on Baekhyun and Chanyeol doesn’t know who to shut up first. The choice makes itself when another idiot with stupid drunken courage tries to reach out for Baekhyun, a vile smile on his lips as he says “Come little chick, it’ll feel good, I promise-”

Chanyeol snaps.

“Don’t touch him!” he snarls loudly, body crouching protectively around Baekhyun like a wound up string that has finally broken, his fangs showing. The man nearly passes out in fear, the room suddenly hushed; Chanyeol _will not_ draw his fangs back, he’ll bite the neck of anyone who comes in his way, until he gets Baekhyun out and far away from this dump.

The click of a weapon unsheathing sounds in the silence.

“How dare you show-” the man who started all this has finally an excuse to attack and he grabs it, starting to pull out his knife; it would be a perfect chance to slash at Chanyeol’s neck, turned to the side and exposed. But he is stopped too soon by a loud growl –which decidedly did not come from Chanyeol. Everyone freezes in astonishment at Baekhyun’s unexpected outburst, his fangs and claws drawn out and ready to fight. Even Chanyeol is a little surprised by Baekhyun’s feral snarl, his drive to protect the taller proving stronger than Chanyeol would have ever thought. Chanyeol tends to be protective of Baekhyun on every given occasion, but he realizes that Baekhyun is perfectly capable of fighting for himself –and yet, he chose to fight only when Chanyeol was threatened.

The tall man who is now staring at Baekhyun takes a few moments to recover, his face burning red in indignation; he would pick a fight with anyone at the moment and choose to die, rather than stand the offence of two vampires. “You demon!” he hollers at Baekhyun threateningly, but Baekhyun does not hesitate; he snaps his jaws at the man, showing what those fangs could do, another growl starting low, loud and drawn out in his chest. Even Chanyeol would fear him at this state.

A gunshot pierces through the tension in the room, the bullet nicking the wooden floorboards at the man’s feet as a warning to stay back. Chanyeol can’t imagine what twisted fate has brought them an ally in a room full of foes.

“Enough.” A deep voice calls, steady and final. Chanyeol glances in the direction it came from, finding a middle-aged man standing behind a table, smoking gun in hand. He has a long face with deep eyes, a few wrinkles around his eyes and mouth; Chanyeol reads his soul very briefly, to find it worn out and tired but honest. He can’t guess why the man is helping them, but he doesn’t have the luxury to ask. The patrons in the shop stare at the man knowingly, but they seem wary to oppose him –perhaps he is known for something important in this town. “Lower your weapons” he dictates, gesturing at the men around who had sneaked out a few arms. Chanyeol and Baekhyun don’t relent, hissing at anyone who glances at them while lowering their guns and knives. The gang boss curls his lips in distaste but obeys at gunpoint; Baekhyun hisses a little louder at him. “Throw them to the ground and step away from the boys. Now.” The unfamiliar man continues resolutely, crossing the space through the parted crowd until he stands in front of the gang leader. He holds the gun to tall man’s forehead, silently silencing him even though it looks like he would have many things to say. The armed man nods to the door. “Go.”

Chanyeol doesn’t wait to see the fireworks or thank the man; he just grabs Baekhyun and bolts.

They are out the door in a blink, hands clasped tightly as they race down the street. It’s dark, with very few rusty streetlights casting a yellow glow on the uneven stones. The mist swirls as they pass, so fast it doesn’t even cling to their capes, and the air feels cold against their skin, but they don’t slow down. It feels as if they can’t run fast enough in the messy streets, dead ends and abruptly narrowing, asphyxiating alleys hindering their escape; the entire town is a trap. They need to get to the woods where they can hide, because those crazy people will certainly try to follow them anywhere.

“Is someone behind us?” Baekhyun murmurs through heaved breaths after they’ve covered some distance. His disbelief is obvious, as is his terror. They should be safely away from the tavern by now, how could someone follow them so fast into the night? In his hurry to escape, Chanyeol didn’t keep track of anyone following them, especially after they crossed half the town at inhuman speed. But if Baekhyun can hear something alarming, Chanyeol ought to check. He slows down a little, trying to listen to footsteps that might not belong to him or to Baekhyun. And there really is someone running almost as fast! Chanyeol growls and is about to pull Baekhyun into a faster run again, but whoever is following them calls out.

“Wait! I can help you! I won’t harm you” it’s a male voice, muddled by heaving and straining breaths, footsteps slowing down and petering off to an almost human run from the exertion. Chanyeol weirdly recognizes the pursuer as the man who saved them at the tavern, first from his voice and then from his brown cloak, outlined in the distance. They are moving much slower now but Chanyeol makes sure there is a good distance kept between them and the man, so they can safely outrun him if they need to. A part of him whirs in curiosity and bafflement though. How did the man manage to follow them all over the city and at such speed? Chanyeol was sure he read a human soul back in the tavern. Why would he save them and run after them? He didn’t seem to share the killing intent.

“Wait” Chanyeol whispers with a deep frown marring his forehead, his hand tugging Baekhyun’s hand to get his attention. Baekhyun slows down very little, his expression still anxious and haunted. When he notices Chanyeol’s attention being on the man following them, he gasps in disbelief –maybe he is too out of breath to scoff at his foolishness– but finally slows down to match Chanyeol’s jog without pulling him forward.

“You said you don’t trust the people in this town” Baekhyun hisses through clenched teeth. He has every right to be angry and frantic, and honestly, Chanyeol should be listening to his voice of reason. He should be running for his life with Baekhyun, for Baekhyun, for their safety. He definitely shouldn’t be getting any deeper in the mess that is this town, because it has a tendency to swallow and smother its victims in unexpected, vicious traps.

Instead, Chanyeol locks his gaze with Baekhyun’s seriously and plants his feet on the ground. Baekhyun growls in displeasure when he has to stop beside him.

“He’s different; he’s not afraid of us” Chanyeol tries to explain his curiosity, his strange gut feeling, but it doesn’t sound very sensible, even to himself. Baekhyun glares at him.

“He has a gun and he runs as fast” _why would he be afraid of us?_ he means, and he is right. If he can catch up, he could hurt them. It wouldn’t kill them, the wound wouldn’t last longer than a few minutes in fact, but it would hurt just fine and it would take their energy to heal. They need to be strong and healthy on this journey, or they can get in serious trouble trying to make up for it. Baekhyun’s eyes are hard, but they are also pleading him to find some sense and run away from this place without hesitation or looking back.

“Others had guns too, and they know they can’t kill us with those, but he’s the only one who’s not afraid in spite of knowing that” Chanyeol spews out the first thing that comes to mind, unable to give any better explanation. He knows Baekhyun sees right through his pretext, but he doesn’t try to take it back, there is no time for that. Baekhyun is angry and rapidly turning frustrated; Chanyeol is thankful for whatever reason Baekhyun is _still_ putting up with him. “And I don’t know how he runs so fast or why he helped us, but maybe it means he’s not like the rest of the stupid humans” he tries to put his hunch into words, and it comes out semi-decent. It seems to work with Baekhyun a little better –at least it doesn’t aggravate his temper any further this time.

“I don’t feel safe” Baekhyun admits in a quiet voice, his eyes still hard and irate but his expression a little softer. He is surrendering the argument to Chanyeol’s folly, with so much as an admission of weakness. Chanyeol feels a piece of his heart chips off.

“I won’t let anyone harm you” he promises, lifting his hand to cradle Baekhyun’s face, his thumb caressing over the hardened lines of his expression to coax them loose. He knows Baekhyun doesn’t feel safe; this world is very different from what he is used to, and with the experience of his sickness in one of the recent towns they passed, his distrust and fear are justified. The tavern only confirmed how hostile and vile some places of the world can be, and Chanyeol himself doesn’t want to stay in this horrible town a moment longer, if not for the abnormality his senses detect in that man.

Come what may, however, he will protect Baekhyun at all cost. They both know that.

The tension between them has not yet dissipated fully when the man comes relatively close, close enough to talk to them without having to shout for half the town to hear at least. They still have some distance between them, and Chanyeol makes sure to glare at the man, friend or foe, to warn him not to trespass the space between them any further.

“Boys, I’m- oh god, I’m old” the man has to stop whatever he had been planning to say and bend over his knees to breathe for a while; his heart is beating at an unhealthy rate, his lungs are almost burning. Why is he so human, yet so confusingly _not_ human? Baekhyun tightens his hold in Chanyeol’s hand.

“What do you want?” Chanyeol asks in a dark voice, harder and colder than steal. He is curious but unwilling to put up with the smallest of offences, always on his toes and ready to run. The man coughs and tries to breathe enough for an answer.

“I can help you” he gasps out, his body still weary. Baekhyun scoffs at the man’s suggestion; how could a human help them better than themselves, why would he? Chanyeol waits for his answer patiently, listening to the struggle of the man’s insides. He reads his soul; it looks just like before. Tired, honest and _human_. The man finds some strength to continue “They are already planning search parties for you, and they’ll venture into the woods before the night is over. I can offer you a safe place to stay the night”

Chanyeol inwardly curses, because the woods are no longer safe for them, but on the outside he keeps his composure and his eerily glowing eyes set on the man, who has recovered enough to look at them –he doesn’t seem very disturbed by their appearance, even though it’s obvious under the moonlight that they are creatures of the dark. Baekhyun’s fingers are idly twisting in Chanyeol’s, their owner deep in thought like the taller. Chanyeol is trying to calculate their chances of hiding in the woods and emerging unscathed, but the odds are against them; they don’t know the forest, they’ll have to run all night and leave no tracks, he’ll have to use chants to keep the trees from breaking or shedding leaves after they pass, and they are already tired and hungry. If the townspeople find them, they can use the forest to their advantage and even fight them, but it’s doubtful they won’t sustain any injuries.

But this man can offer a _place_ in the middle of such a hostile environment?

“What sort of place?” Chanyeol asks, not bothering to hide his suspicion. It’s too good an offer, coming from an absolute stranger, in a decaying town that hates their existence. The man gulps, for the first time looking a little uncertain.

“My house; they never dare come close” he explains forwardly with a brave expression. Chanyeol’s features twist in disbelief and offence, and Baekhyun raises a brow at the man. For all they know, this man could have some twisted version of a tale in his head, saving them to lure them with fake promises and kill them himself; Chanyeol is not reading any underlying evil in the man, but they can’t be sure enough in this city. The man sighs, seeming to have expected the distrustful and disbelieving reaction, but he is also eager to convince them before they decide to ignore him for good and chase their luck into the woods. “I know it’s hard to trust me, but I assure you, I mean no harm” he pleads, raising both hands in surrender. Baekhyun’s eyes dart down to his gun, strapped around his waist, next to a small knife, but Chanyeol keeps his eyes on the man, staring through him so intently that even as a dense human he would realize that Chanyeol is reading his soul.

It paints out frustratingly honest.

“Why?” Chanyeol growls, agitated and confused, looking so stern that the man cowers a bit –he doesn’t seem to fear them as vampires but as individuals. Chanyeol wishes he could chuck all these baffling hints away, find the man’s words to be nonsense and reject it, and then run away with Baekhyun. Why can’t he? Because there is the damned thread of hope, desperately trying to attach on anything in the presence of looming fear.

The man smiles a little. “That’s a long story. I’ll be happy to share it with you but we have to move; if any of the townspeople report you, it will be harder to escape the hunters” he points out, waving his hand around to showcase the quiet houses. They are full of sleeping, bloodthirsty cockroaches, and Chanyeol sees the logic in the man’s words. He nods once in agreement and gestures at the man to lead the way. He exchanges a look with a bewildered, uncertain Baekhyun behind the man’s back, silently warning him to be ready to flee at any given moment. If this starts looking like a trap, Chanyeol is not walking into it, not a second time.

“Who are you?” he asks the man, running slower than usual but still adequately fast. Baekhyun is holding his hand, staying close to his left side, but there is about an arm’s length distance between Chanyeol and the man on his right side.

“I’m Yunho” the man introduces himself, trying to breathe through his run and ending up constantly breaking his sentences to heave for breath “I’m a woodsman, I live on the edge of town by the forest with my wife, Boa. We used to have a son, but not anymore, so we put people up in the spare room” he explains, as if he’s been through that introduction a couple of times before. Then, he glances at Chanyeol meaningfully –he knows Chanyeol doesn’t leave him from his sight. “And by people, I mean unwanted guests, like you. We are not part of the mindless, scared flock” a grimace turns Yunho’s lips in an unattractive way; he doesn’t appreciate his fellow townsmen for sure. Chanyeol remembers the situation in the tavern and how the townspeople didn’t seem to like this man very much either; why would they be on bad terms yet tolerate his presence or listen to his word, and why is he and his wife any different from them?

“Why would you do that?” Chanyeol asks, referring to the unexpected hospitality for unwanted guests. Yunho shakes his head sadly.

“The town has long and terrible history with vampires; the people have become out of control these the past few years. They kill anyone they can –they actually do those horrible things they were shouting at you. My wife and I can’t bear to see it happen, so we hide them” he says, and Chanyeol reads some genuine grief in him; he feels truly sad for all the vampires who have suffered in the hands of those people. Chanyeol frowns, thinking about their tragic ends and how wrong this evening could have gone if not for this man. Yunho continues in a lighter voice “It’s not difficult to hide guests, when your house is far away from everything and people like to avoid you” he chuckles and regrets it instantly, his laugh turning into a breathless cough.

“You’re not human” Baekhyun speaks for the first time, his eyes narrowing at the man in suspicion. It’s too straightforward, but he is asking them to trust him with far more important things than just one obvious answer. This time Yunho laughs, even if it pains him.

“I am; well, mostly” he shrugs, his wrinkled smile easygoing and lighthearted; he seems very comfortable to talk about it, so different from Chanyeol who has always tried to hide that he is different. “Some ancestor of mine was part vampire, but I’m nothing like you after so many generations. I’m human in every aspect, except for my sprinting skills. The vampire genes faded completely with my son” he explains easily. Chanyeol nods to himself –it makes sense. He is half vampire, and he could be called the closest thing to one after the original, but even he has differences. It makes sense the genes blend and fade; unlike their original carriers and second generations like Chanyeol, the genes are not meant to last forever. “My wife is human, but she doesn’t mind vampires, partly because she knows everything about me but still loves me” Yunho adds as an afterthought. There is something in his voice when he speaks of his wife, a love and pride that transfers to his eyes, to his smile and to the color of his soul.

“Where is your son?” Chanyeol asks. Yunho’s smile fades a bit to melancholy.

“He died sick a few years ago. We really don’t mind the company” he mumbles, sadness and loss invading his soul in bittersweet waves. Now Chanyeol knows why his soul seems so tired. He and his wife are living a lonely life; by keeping guests they don’t only save them but also save their sanity. Yunho sighs and tries to shake off the foul mood. “Besides, I’ve met many vampires, and some were moody, but they never tried to hurt my family; this fear and hatred is unreasonable nowadays” he comments offhandedly, trying to lighten the conversation. It only brings Chanyeol to another question that has been bugging him all evening.

“What happened in the past?”

Yunho presses his lips in a sad and thoughtful line. “That’s another long story. We can share it over dinner” he suggests lightheartedly, slowing down in front of a small house. Chanyeol supposes they have arrived –they have run a fair distance from the town and its people, like Yunho said, and this house is closer to the woods than the town, the nearest cottage is far enough and people even further.

Yunho opens the door of a small fence separating his property from the road. A stone path leads to a carefully tended yard, unlike the wild grass and random vegetation around the rest of the site. There is a small, cozy house there, the soft glow of fire flowing out the windows and smoke floating through the chimney. There is a barn a few meters away from the back door of the house, brimming with hay and logs of wood, stacked in piles and left to dry for the fire. It’s a quiet place in all aspects, ready to blow out the light and sleep peacefully into the night.

“We have a goat in the stable” Yunho walks slower now, leading them to the house with quiet steps “We let our guests feed from it if they need to. I know it’s not the best for you, but trust me, it’s better than nothing” he advises, making an expression that shows he might have had an unfortunate experience in the past with one of his guests; Chanyeol knows that most vampires wouldn’t want the blood of a barn animal, it’s like offering stale bread to a nobleman. Chanyeol and Baekhyun are hungry, but not thirsty today.

“We can eat regular food” he discloses tentatively, keeping his voice quiet after Yunho’s example. He is sure Baekhyun will thank him later for securing some real food for them.

“Oh?” Yunho stops and looks at him in surprise, his eyes wide and a little curious. “That’s unusual. My wife will be happy to finally share the table with our guests for a change” he says, glowing at the prospect of bringing her good news. It’s unlikely their guests had joined them for any meal before –it would be an experience the human couple wouldn’t want to share either. Yunho’s eyes fall on Baekhyun and his enthusiasm dims instantly, as if he suddenly remembered what sort of creatures he is dealing with. Chanyeol was right to think that Baekhyun’s appearance would draw attention, thankfully without any dangerous repercussion this time. “But, I have to ask, for her safety; how come you eat real food?” Yunho asks, and for the first time tonight he returns the suspicion that Chanyeol and Baekhyun have been treating him with.

“We’re only half vampires” Chanyeol explains quietly; there is no need to explain about their other half, perhaps it’s better if the couple never finds out. Yunho examines him for a moment longer thoughtfully.

“Ah, well then” he relents in the end, his concern dispersed and his hospitality restored to the fullest “Excuse us if we treat you strangely; we’re used to real vampires” he says, walking to the door followed by the two men, and opening it, a surge of warmth escaping into the night. He doesn’t stop talking “so feel free to tell us if you need something…different” he stutters a bit when he turns around and sees Chanyeol and Baekhyun already through the door. _Oh_ , vampires can’t come inside inhabited spaces without invitation, but they just did that; Chanyeol shrugs innocently. They’re not full vampires, they can come and go as they please. Yunho blinks but nods his head, still surprised but accepting of it, and he turns around to shout into the small house “Honey, I’m home!”

“Oh, you’re late again, old man, the food will get cold” a female voice answers instantly, becoming louder as a middle aged woman emerges from a room, dusting off her apron. The greeting is unusual, but it sounds affectionately nagging, a unique type of ‘welcome home’ that shows how close the couple is. She has a loud voice but she looks very soft, her eyes pretty and her features arranged in a calm, smiling expression; Chanyeol reads kindness and patience when he sees her soul, with hints of the same tired grieving for her son like her husband.

Yunho fixes his shirt and clears his throat, a little embarrassed their guests heard his wife scolding him first thing. “We have company” he announces, just as she lifts her eyes from fixing her dress –it looks like she was taking a nap.

“I can see that” her eyes glint happily when she sees them and a warm smile spreads on her lips “Welcome” she says to both. Baekhyun bows his head slightly in greeting and Chanyeol gives a tight-lipped smile to keep his teeth out of view; they might be somewhat comfortable around vampires but that doesn’t mean the sight of fangs or glowing eyes is not disturbing to them.

“Boa, meet the boys” Yunho says grandly, gesturing to the men standing by the door. Baekhyun’s fingers absentmindedly play between Chanyeol’s, as the woman subtly scrutinizes them from head to toe; there is not much to see, other than their simple clothes and capes. Her eyes soon return to their faces, lingering on their features –she smiles more gently at Baekhyun, probably finding him cuter in his oversized long cloak, but she seems to hold Chanyeol’s gaze better. Maybe even his burgundy eyes are less disturbing to humans than Baekhyun’s heterochromia. “I rescued them from the tavern” Yunho boasts with a proud smile, taking off his coat and weapons with an air of self-assuredness.

His wife doesn’t look impressed. “What were you doing in the tavern?” she chides, putting her hands on her waist strictly. Yunho nearly drops his knife in startle.

“Yes, well” he stutters awkwardly, frowning to maintain some semblance of dominance, even though it’s clear she is winning the argument. He pretends to be busy with his things –they are a peculiarly cute couple, affectionately bickering like this, and Chanyeol watches with interest. Baekhyun has started sagging against him, tired and sleepy, with no interest in the humans. “They will be having dinner with us” he announces, changing the subject. A look of realization crosses Boa’s features.

“Should I let out the goat?” she offers, already starting for the back door. But she stops, looking confused, when her husband shakes his head.

“No, my dear, they will be sharing our table and our food” he explains. It only makes her frown in confusion, looking lost. Chanyeol sends her a small, apologetic smile, and nods to verify her husband’s words. “Apparently, they’re not fully vampires” he says, shrugging his shoulders. It’s all he can share because it’s all he knows and, thankfully, she doesn’t seem to need to hear anything further.

“I see…” she mutters, her cloudy expression clearing and being restored to a hospitable smile. She even looks more cheerful as she speaks, no doubt excited to share the evening with her guests –her husband mentioned how lonely they both get and how she would like to share the table with someone for a change. “I shall set the table then. Is there anything else we can prepare for you? A shower, perhaps?” she proposes kindly, turning to Chanyeol politely.

“Excellent idea!” Yunho chirps, trying to get in her good books, in case she forgives his misdemeanor at the tavern.

“They’ll be using your share of hot water” she deadpans, but otherwise seems used to his antics and ignores him, keeping her eyes on Chanyeol and Baekhyun, who has leaned his head against Chanyeol’s shoulder and is close to dozing off. Yunho looks like an overgrown kicked puppy, looking at his wife mournfully. Chanyeol looks at him and Boa, thinking whether it’d be a good time to answer her, and judging by her full attention on him, he decides to ask her now.

“Please prepare a bed for the night” he requests gently, keeping his voice calm and quiet –it’s the first time she hears him speak, he wouldn’t want to scare her. He nudges Baekhyun awake and the smaller stirs beside him, his hand twitching in Chanyeol’s hold.

The woman blinks, a little dazed but mostly surprised. “You sleep at night.” It’s not a question but there is disbelief in her voice. It is to be expected; they must be very unusual guests for them, even more so than the vampires they usually host. Because, unlike vampires, they can freely move inside inhabited areas, they eat food other than blood and they sleep at night, whereas others of their kind sleep during the day and stay awake, roaming around at night. Normally, Chanyeol and Baekhyun can do both, but tonight Baekhyun is too tired to stay awake all night. Chanyeol can only smile politely at the confused, surprised woman. Boa reexamines him and Baekhyun, as if trying to find clues she missed in her first assessment, but they look exactly the same as before. She seems bewildered for a moment longer, and then she nods obligingly, seemingly coming to terms with the irregularities. “Okay, I shall do that” she amends, her eyes softening and her smile returning when she notices how sleepy Baekhyun looks.

She takes off to her household business, to set the table and prepare a room for them at such short notice. Chanyeol is very grateful to her. Yunho sighs in relief when she’s out of sight, as if the three of them have passed some test, or survived a hazardous interrogation. To him, her steps thudding around the house as she pokes things and opens closets are inaudible, but Chanyeol can tell exactly where she is and what she does, any given moment.

Chanyeol takes of his coat and helps Baekhyun out of his own. The smaller is very sleepy, cooperating without really realizing what is happening, but it doesn’t show to someone who doesn’t know him well; he might look a bit clingy and quiet to the humans because he is uncomfortable, a little dependable on Chanyeol because –they might assume– he is his supposed to take care of him as his mate, and a little slow for a vampire. Those things do not concern the two hybrids though; safety, food and sleep are immediate necessities.

“And now that she’s gone…” Yunho starts casually, as Chanyeol hangs his coat next to Baekhyun’s on the rack by the door. Baekhyun tilts his head curiously, half hidden behind Chanyeol, and the latter looks at Yunho expectantly. The man clears his throat, a nervous trick to hide his awkwardness. “What are your names?”

Chanyeol can’t help but chuckle, but he makes the belated introductions. He hadn’t realized they never told Yunho their names, but it seems very amusing how they got so far without the pleasantries. Yunho seems more comfortable around them knowing their names, and he smiles, leading them further into the house. Baekhyun doesn’t let go of Chanyeol’s hand, following him to the dining room and living area. Not long after that, Boa interrupts their small talk about the townspeople, coming out of what seems to be a small bathroom.

“Why don’t you boys take a shower before dinner? I need time to heat up the food anyway” she suggests chirpily, handing Baekhyun clean towels with a wide smile; he accepts them mechanically with a look of uncertainty, holding them with his free hand.

“That’s a good idea” Chanyeol encourages him when Baekhyun blinks at him in a daze. A shower might wake him up a bit and keep him awake, at least long enough for dinner. Besides, they both need to unwind and relax a little bit after the long day they’ve had.

“O-okay” Baekhyun reluctantly agrees, gathering the towels closer. Boa seems pleased, nodding and smiling in approval. Chanyeol loosens his hold, ready to let Baekhyun go first –because the hot water might not be enough for both of them and, between the two of them, Baekhyun needs it most– but instead of heading for the bathroom with his towels, Baekhyun’s hold tightens around Chanyeol’s hand and he pulls the taller after him on his way there. He meets some resistance, since Chanyeol is obviously surprised –he is taking him to the bathroom with him, and their hosts are blushing more than he is, probably– so he stops to turn and look at him for a moment. “I don’t want to go alone” he mumbles straightforwardly, without a hint of shyness. His serious tone helps; it puts everything into the context of safety.

“Fine, I’ll come” Chanyeol tries to ignore how red his ears must be under his hair and pretends to be somber and composed; after all, Baekhyun simply doesn’t want to be left alone in a strange house. Chanyeol admits he would feel better too, not to let Baekhyun out of his sight.

They excuse themselves from their stunned hosts’ company and silently retreat to the bathroom, closing the door behind them. Baekhyun is too sleepy to ask when Chanyeol takes his towels for him and strips him of his vest; the smaller strips the rest on his own automatically, while Chanyeol stands on the side, facing the wall. He keeps facing the wall while Baekhyun showers, hearing the water splashing on skin and tiles. Weirdly enough, it’s not the first time they are in a bathroom together, and Chanyeol is somewhat tired for naughty thoughts. The couple outside is talking about the tavern and cutlery. The bathroom is so tiny that all Baekhyun has to do to reach Chanyeol is stick his arm out of the side of the flimsy curtain; he blindly knocks Chanyeol’s shoulder but the clumsy move is enough to alert Chanyeol, who hands over the towels. The lack of space becomes more apparent when Baekhyun comes out and has to dry himself; they don’t fit very well but they manage, Baekhyun drying himself and Chanyeol undressing with their backs turned to each other. Baekhyun waits patiently while Chanyeol showers, leaning against the wall.

“The food is ready” the shorter remarks idly, speaking for the first time since they locked themselves in here. He doesn’t sound as drowsy as before; Chanyeol feels a bit more awake too after the cold shower. He dries himself and dresses silently, while Baekhyun keeps his eyes on the low ceiling. They exchange small smiles when they’re ready, holding hands again as they exit the bathroom.

They join their hosts at the table, refreshed and decidedly hungry. It looks like dinner was originally a stew of vegetables and bones for flavor, but Boa has made some last minute additions to the menu, with roasted vegetables over corn pan-fried bread. The food is enough and as delicious as their stomach yearns for it to be. The company is also nice, the couple treating them kindly and friendly –even Baekhyun speaks a few words. Chanyeol can tell both the humans are very happy to have them, especially Boa; they enjoy the conversation, they laugh at Yunho’s jokes and his wife’s smart puns, they share a few stories and then Chanyeol helps Boa with the dishes while Baekhyun tries to warm up by the fireplace. It’s been a cold day.

In spite of Yunho’s best attempts to keep them around and talk a bit more, they are both too tired to stay awake and decide to sleep. Baekhyun’s drowsiness is back with a vengeance, and even Chanyeol feels his eyelids heavier than before. The couple leads them to the spare bedroom, a simple room down the hall with a single yet comfortable bed. The moment Boa opens the door, Baekhyun sighs in relief –Chanyeol finds it endearing, even after the rough day they’ve had.

“Bed” the shorter mumbles gratefully, eyes only half-open as he pads across the room and plops down instantly, not caring to change clothes. Yunho chuckles and Boa elbows him in the ribs to keep him in line, in case he offends their guests.

“It’s a small room but we can get an extra set of bedding for you?” she suggests, turning to look from Chanyeol to the bed, which has already been claimed by Baekhyun, who seems to be nearly asleep already, sprawled across the mattress, his breaths deep and slow. “Oh my, your friend must have been really tired” Boa says upon noticing him, smiling only after Chanyeol smiles.

“It’s okay, we won’t need anything, thank you” he answers politely, walking into the room after Baekhyun’s example. He tries to estimate if he’ll have to sleep on the floor the closer he gets to the bed, but well, it looks big enough for the two of them; they tend to sleep wrapped around each other anyway, and Chanyeol can keep them warm, even without much help from the blanket. He has to bend for a bit, to unlace Baekhyun’s shoes, taking them off for him as carefully as possible, remembering the friction wounds on them with a pang of guilt, for not noticing them from the start; the smaller moves his legs onto the bed from where they had been sticking out on the side previously. Chanyeol shakes his head fondly with a private smile.

“You can use the couch if you prefer-” Yunho starts to say, but Chanyeol only walks around the bed and sits on the other side, in a small space that Baekhyun’s limbs don’t occupy.

“That won’t be necessary” he reassures them with a grateful smile. The couple looks perplexed, but their expressions turn a bit flustered when Baekhyun reaches out blindly and grabs Chanyeol’s forearm possessively, mumbling ‘Chanyeol’ in his sleep. It is irrelevant whether the couple misunderstands the gesture; Baekhyun is only being impatient to have Chanyeol as a warm pillow. Chanyeol shrugs his shoulders. “We’re used to sharing” he explains casually, combing his fingers through Baekhyun’s hair for comfort.

“Oh. Very well…” Boa stutters hurriedly, getting a hold of herself sooner than Yunho, who keeps staring at them, dumbfounded. Maybe it’s the sight of a sleeping vampire, a cute sleeping vampire, or a cute sleeping vampire latching on another vampire that astonishes them, but thankfully they leave the two men alone without asking questions. “Goodnight then” she chirps, pushing her husband out of the way and ushering him down the hall, closing the door before they leave.

The room is dark and Chanyeol remembers taking off his shoes before the world turned black.

~~~

Baekhyun is learning house chores today; Boa is a good and patient teacher, and he likes helping her with her daily tasks in and around the house. He hasn’t seen a real house before, so it’s a great chance to explore it in the world of humans, who Chanyeol said are mostly harmless. Baekhyun is still a little nervous to be so near to that horrible town of humans that planned on torturing and killing them, but Yunho has assured them multiple times that they are safe here; it’s been very quiet so far, as if the land around the small estate is deserted. It’s probably because of Yunho’s family history that people avoid coming close. Be that as it may, Chanyeol and Baekhyun don’t want to take unnecessary risks and challenge their luck, so they’ll be gone by tomorrow.

It’s their second day with the couple today, and Baekhyun is staying with Boa like yesterday, helping her in any way he can. Chanyeol has gone with Yunho into the nearby woods to gather wood in the forest; helping them with their occupations is a way of expressing their gratefulness, by giving back to the couple who provide food and security for them. They are nice people, but the vampire pair can’t stay with them for long; that would put everyone in danger. Chanyeol asked Yunho last night to arrange their train tickets to the Black Mountains, because it’s unlikely the people in town would accommodate the two of them after what happened two nights ago, and the man gladly accepted to do it today. They will probably leave tomorrow morning.

While it lasts, Baekhyun likes that Boa and Yunho look after them as if they were their own children, worrying about their clothes being warm enough and making sure they sleep well every night; they really miss having their late son around. They must have been good parents. It’s a little strange that humans smell so strongly of their emotions; other species occasionally release pheromones too, but humans are like a constant change of perfume. He feels like he is in good hands when Chanyeol is not right beside him –even though he feels a little strange when they insist on thinking that he and Chanyeol are mates. They are convinced that they would make a cute couple, that they already _are_ a couple; Boa asked him some very graphic questions about their relationship in bed after Chanyeol left yesterday, and he didn’t know how to hide his red ears at the mental images and their connotations, while explaining they’re just sharing the bed for comfort and warmth. Their hosts are not convinced, but they are not bothersome people.

Baekhyun likes this domestic life. He wakes up next to Chanyeol before the sun rises in the morning, and sends him to work with a kiss on the forehead for protection; then he naps until a little later, when Boa comes to rouse him from bed, so that he can help with the chores, from cooking dinner to doing laundry and feeding the barn animals, which don’t like him very much. In the evening, when Chanyeol and Yunho come back, they all have dinner together, and then, they take turns showering before going to bed. Chanyeol and Baekhyun don’t sleep right away; they talk about their day, every bit and detail they can think of. Baekhyun likes that Chanyeol gives him all his attention and holds him close while he babbles away. He basks in the interest the taller is showing him, and he usually falls asleep in his arms; keeping a house is so much more tiring work than it seems.

Today he did the laundry again, and now he is hanging the linens outside to dry, on a long rope between two trees by the house yard. He hadn’t thought a bed sheet would be so big outside of the bed, but his and Chanyeol’s shirts are fondly familiar. He is almost through with his task, when the wind picks up all of a sudden, blowing the fabrics and making them puff and stretch. The unexpected gust keeps Baekhyun vigilant for any clothes that might fall off –all his hard work would go to waste– but he notices a tall figure standing behind the wavering clothes and his attention shifts away from the clothes. Baekhyun’s expression hardens.

“Hello again” Sehun says, with his hands casually shoved in his pockets. His black clothes and lithe figure contrast the white sheets, his white hair effortlessly ruffled and his expression one of fluid, elegant nonchalance. Baekhyun is not the least bit charmed. The wind peters off to stillness again, and the laundry flutters a bit before it settles. Sehun takes a few steps forward; Baekhyun doesn’t want to have him any closer, annoyed by Sehun’s obvious penchant for ignoring personal space, like he did last time with Chanyeol, touching him and leaning close to him. But he holds his ground, unwilling to relent.

He doesn’t like Sehun, and he is certain the feeling is mutual. Meeting him once was enough to dislike him, and Baekhyun won’t deny that his sour feelings have a great deal to do with the way Sehun acts around Chanyeol; but Chanyeol doesn’t like him either, whatever sort of old acquaintances they might be, so Baekhyun thinks he doesn’t have to pretend to be nice to him. However, he supposes it would be silly to ignore him at this point; it would only make him insist more.

“I didn’t expect to find you here” the blond man says, smart smirk never leaving his lips. Baekhyun internally scoffs at Sehun’s naïve idea that he can intimidate him, but on the outside he remains composed.

“Sehun” he greets flatly, picking up his empty basket to go back inside the house; he doesn’t wish to spend his time with someone he doesn’t appreciate, especially since he doesn’t have to.

“Ah, he speaks!” Sehun mocks elation with a wide smile. Baekhyun returns a vacant glare. If that would be all, he’d rather leave now; he has given Sehun his share of attention for today. Sehun quirks a curious eyebrow then, eyeing Baekhyun from head to toe. “Why are you doing chores?” he stops Baekhyun from leaving, exploiting his kindness to entertain his boredom, acting as if he is entitled to anyone’s time. Baekhyun bites the inside of his cheek, staring back at the taller man unwaveringly.

“I’m helping a nice lady” he answers vaguely and turns around to leave, making sure his disinterest is conveyed. An unnatural gust stops him a few steps short since he started and he grits his teeth in annoyance; is Sehun really this starved for attention that he would pick on Baekhyun to pass the time? He doesn’t even know what he is dealing with, having met Baekhyun only once. Sehun appears soon after in front of him, materializing out of thin air, literally.

“Where is Chanyeol?” he asks with suspicious interest, his sharp eyes examining Baekhyun’s expression closely. Baekhyun’s hold tightens on the basket; of course he would ask about Chanyeol, he is interested in the man after all. If only Baekhyun had known sooner of the fickle wind, he wouldn’t have stayed quiet for so long. It’s only natural the two of them are not getting along; Sehun is territorial and Baekhyun is possessive when it comes to Chanyeol. A snide leer appears on Sehun’s lips. “Did he leave you behind?” he mocks, laughing at the smaller man; Baekhyun doesn’t appreciate his actions but he doesn’t wish to urge him further with a reaction, so he takes everything in stride and keeps his head high.

“No, he didn’t” he ignores the first question and answers just sharply enough to end Sehun’s laughter, and to show he is serious. Sehun _could be_ dangerous, but he is not dangerous right now; he is being a petty, spoiled kid, trying to pull on Baekhyun’s leg with little success. Little does he know that Baekhyun is not as easy a target as he seems; not even Chanyeol knows, and he would never make the mistake of revealing himself to Sehun out of spite, and risk Chanyeol finding out the wrong way.

“You don’t say much, do you…” Sehun’s smile slowly fades from his lips, a thoughtful and somewhat vindictive expression taking over, soon overshadowed by a flash of interest in his eyes. He starts walking closer, a voracious smirk on his lips. “I can’t get to know you if you don’t speak to me, but you’re interesting. You make me want to try…” he stops right in front of Baekhyun, who once again refuses to budge. He doesn’t want to challenge Sehun, but he will keep his sense of dignity and predator pride. Sehun tilts his head to the side, his gaze noticeably occupied with examining Baekhyun’s unusual eyes of different color, which stare back at him. “I wonder how you met Chanyeol; he’s always been a lone rider. Why would he take you with him? Why would he trust you? Are you important to him?” he thinks aloud, leaning closer with each question, once again proving how little he cares of personal space. He is right in front of Baekhyun’s face, only a few centimeters away; a small stumble would close the gap between them, but they are both too careful and stiff to stumble. Baekhyun decides he doesn’t like having someone so close, unless it’s Chanyeol. Sehun’s eyes flicker between Baekhyun’s hard eyes and his sealed lips. “Would Chanyeol get mad if I…?” he whispers seductively, eyes slowly closing, breaths mingling.

“I would get mad if you did” Baekhyun’s voice is calm and hard, clear and resolute. There is no way he’ll let anyone else kiss him, especially on a childish whim. His serious and composed tone brings Sehun’s game to an end, and the blond man opens his eyes with a cruel light in them. He doesn’t like losing, does he? He presses his parted lips in a firm line and straightens his back, looking down at Baekhyun with a menacing dark cloud over his eyes.

“How long did you spend in the woods before Chanyeol brought you out of your woodland tomb?” he spits out venomously, his gaze cold and showing his true emotions for once; hurt, anger, hatred, envy. The shorter only blinks back at him with a composed, neutral expression. Sehun’s malicious words don’t really affect him.

Baekhyun has never been, nor will he ever be, entombed.

Receiving no reaction, Sehun gives up with a sigh, his shoulders deflating. It doesn’t mean he hates Baekhyun any less, or that he will yield to him, but in his capricious fancy, most of the intense emotion has faded for now. He takes a step back, no longer interested in being so close to Baekhyun, and waves his hand vaguely. “Come on…throw me a bone here” his lips curl in a naughty, childish smile; Baekhyun shouldn’t be surprised by how fast his mood changes, transforming his entire countenance and his voice, but he has never talked to a wind before, and he can’t help but wonder if all of them are the same.

“Seek for bones elsewhere” he deadpans and turns around on his heels, making a beeline for the house, each step decisive and final. He has stayed out here long enough, Boa will be worried. He hears a frustrated groan behind him and then the wind howls, rushing all around him and trying to make him stumble, knocking some baskets and gardening tools to the ground. Baekhyun is not deterred and keeps walking steadily; he made his choice to turn his back to Sehun, and he would do it again, perhaps much sooner the second time.

He closes the door behind him and the noisy, tumbling wind seizes at once; Sehun has left for good, and Baekhyun glances out the window to see the yard peaceful once again, the laundry drying and wavering slightly in the breeze. He shakes his head at the mess in the yard, setting his basket aside and dusting off his clothes, ruffling the leaves out of his hair. He will wait a bit before going out again, to avoid any bigger tantrums from the wind.

“Oh dear, I’m glad you’re done” Boa says, rounding the corner of the house hastily after hearing the ruckus outside. She glances at the yard and the laundry, and then she turns to him with slightly spooked eyes, subtly inspecting him for any harm. “The wind picked up all of a sudden, didn’t it?” she gives him a little smile, and he returns a reassuring grin.

“It’s only passing”

~~~

“Can’t sleep?”

Chanyeol presses his eyes tighter shut, till he sees the colorful starts of fire bursting behind his lids.

“Sorry. Am I keeping you awake?” he mumbles, lips numb but ably conveying his guilt for disturbing Baekhyun’s peace in the middle of the night. He hadn’t thought his insomnia would affect Baekhyun but, in spite of the rhythmic cacophony the train produces, in a wagon so small, all sounds are heard, including his tossing and turning. Or perhaps, his anxiety has been tickling Baekhyun through their emotional connection; during the past two days, he found out that both of them can sense each other’s emotions, like an invisible link between them.

“Don’t worry about it” Baekhyun answers calmly. There is a soft smile in his voice which makes Chanyeol inclined to believe it’s probably his emotional state keeping Baekhyun awake, rather than his hushed sighs. He knows how stressed Chanyeol is, and he is trying to make him feel better. Chanyeol purses his lips thoughtfully. If only Chanyeol knew how to switch this connection between them on and off; it manifests whenever it wants to, and he still doesn’t know why.

He thought he was the only one who could illicitly peek into Baekhyun’s heart, as a malfunction of his soul-reading skills, until Baekhyun admitted two nights ago that he trusted Chanyeol’s decision to follow Yunho that first night, because he _felt_ Chanyeol’s sincere emotions at the time. It might have been a slip of the tongue or maybe he had been planning to confess to it from the beginning; he said it very naturally, as if there’s nothing strange about it. He then apologized for getting angry at Chanyeol too that night, but the latter was reeling from the revelation, and he forgave Baekhyun in a heartbeat –he never grudged him in the first place–, dismissing the lengthy bedtime conversation they could have had, so that they could start a game of guess each other’s emotions on the spot.

Baekhyun was feeling relieved. Chanyeol was feeling excited.

In their undersized train cabin, Baekhyun turns on the small light on the wall above his bed; its warm glow reaches Chanyeol’s side across the small space of their carriage in a muted haze. Chanyeol’s eyes don’t even need to adjust to see Baekhyun across from him, and he instantly feels even more guilty; Baekhyun looks like he hasn’t gotten a wink of sleep, hair ruffled and eyes droopy. But the smaller confidently pushes his thin covers away and pads across the small space between their bunk beds barefoot, his footing stuttering due to the constant jiggling of the train wheels. He makes to sit down on Chanyeol’s bed, but it’s not made for two –and it’s painfully short, if you ask Chanyeol, who has to tangle and bend his limbs to stay on it.

“It’s so narrow, how am I supposed to fit here?” Baekhyun complains, with a cute, indignant pout on his lips, as he wiggles his butt on the edge of the bed. Chanyeol halfheartedly chuckles at his naïve stubbornness. He takes pity on the smaller man and scoots over to lie on his side close to the wall, giving Baekhyun just enough space to perch on the other side of the bed. Once he is no longer in peril of falling over, Baekhyun nods his nose in the air, looking satisfied with himself. His childish ways bring another small smile on Chanyeol’s lips; Baekhyun’s expression softens when he sees Chanyeol’s slightly uplifted spirits.

“Why can’t you sleep? Do you have motion sickness?” he asks sympathetically, pushing Chanyeol’s fringe aside with delicate fingers, so that it doesn’t cover his eyes anymore. Chanyeol blinks his burgundy eyes at him, taking in his soft, concerned features.

“No” he answers, sighing resignedly. Baekhyun’s frown deepens, his eyes searching into Chanyeol’s as if he can read through his soul. Even though Chanyeol is the only one with that actual gift between them, Baekhyun is becoming exceedingly good at it, especially when Chanyeol is concerned.

“You’re troubled” Baekhyun infers quietly, with no hint of question in his voice. It’s solid and no less concerned than before. It’s so insightful and accurate –as always–, that Chanyeol doesn’t see a point in trying to deny it. Baekhyun is better in the game of sensing each other’s emotions, he is more sensitive to them, unlike Chanyeol, who is only starting to get used to that ability.

“Shouldn’t I be?” he quirks his lips a little sadly, feeling Baekhyun’s comforting touch when he combs his fine fingers through the hair above Chanyeol’s ear. “I’m going to meet my father for the first time.” A sigh escapes him again and he twists his body to lie on his back again –without disturbing Baekhyun– because it feels easier to breathe that way. He rubs his eyes, keeping them closed, to block the image of Baekhyun biting his lip in concern; he feels bad for making Baekhyun put up with his weakness in the middle of the night, on top of everything else.

After a few moments of wallowing in silence, a small hand rests on his abdomen tentatively. Chanyeol draws his legs closer, his heels pressing on the mattress and his knees resting against the wall on the side. “It’s what you wanted” Baekhyun whispers carefully; but it also sounds oddly like a question, as if there is an unspoken part asking Chanyeol if he still wants this.

Does he?

Chanyeol started this journey a different person than he is now. He thought meeting his father would bring him closure, a sense of relief and belonging in his outcast life. After meeting Baekhyun, however, he doesn’t think anyone else can make him feel as accepted and safe. He doesn’t need closure, because he realizes now that he is an open-ended spiral, twirling around his core until he entwines with someone else, when he will have finally found his home. His destination is still far; meeting his father would be a small stop along the way, a favor to himself. But recently, why does it feel like he doesn’t have to pursue his destination anymore?

“You know, you’ve never told me about your parents” Baekhyun says, with a pleasant lilt in his voice, trying to lure Chanyeol out of his depressive, lonely shell. He props his chin on top of Chanyeol’s bent knees, and Chanyeol slowly blinks up at him; he is looking down at Chanyeol with an expectant pout on his lips, innocent puppy eyes watching the taller closely. He looks very cute and a little playful with his hair ruffled like that.

Chanyeol glances at the passing scenery outside for a moment with a heavy heart, contemplating if he should venture into this conversation, which can only make him feel a little sadder and a little better, and then he looks back at a patient Baekhyun; he looks like a child waiting to hear his favorite bedtime story. It’s hard to say no to him. He is unrelenting and Chanyeol sighs in surrender, hoping Baekhyun’s tactics to help him feel better will succeed this time, like all the previous ones. Sometimes, it feels like Baekhyun knows Chanyeol better than himself.

“My father is a vampire –an old and powerful one, according to my mother” he starts narrating the story he so loved and hated as a child. It’s all he knows about his father. Baekhyun watches his lips as he speaks, as if his words are dripping honey. “He could walk in daylight, unlike most vampires, and he loved to travel and explore, as much as his immortal life would allow him. He once happened to pass by my city; it was dusk when he first saw my mother” his mother’s smile was always the most beautiful when she told this part. “She was returning home from work, walking down our quiet street by herself, as always, and my father was instantly taken with her the moment he saw her; he knew she would one day mean a lot to him. She was oblivious, of course, so, he approached her like a perfect gentleman, asking to walk the rest of the way beside her; my mother is a peaceful person and she didn’t have any reason to object.

“They didn’t exchange any further words that first time; or the second, or the third. My father kept coming back every evening, to walk down the street beside my mother in silence; after some time, he started asking small questions about her day, kindling a tentative friendship. My mother was young, but she was no fool. She knew that my father had taken an interest in her, and she knew that he was not an elf like her; the neighbors kept whispering about the stranger man courting her, but they knew nothing of my father’s true identity and his intentions. When vampires find their mate, their lifelong partner, they can’t imagine a life without them; my father would have walked down the street with her every day for the rest of their lives if that’s what it took.

“My mother, unsurprisingly, knew exactly what my father really was; he never tried to hide his true appearance from her, and in turn she was never really bothered by the differences. She wanted to know, so one day she confronted him about it; he did not deny it. Instead, he introduced himself and told her everything about his kind. He was glad that he could finally be honest with her. It wasn’t long before he confessed his feelings for her, too; it was the proper thing to do. My father always treated my mother with respect. He promised he would disappear from her sight if that’s what she wished then, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. My mother was never afraid of him; on the contrary, he made her feel safe and happy. She invited him into our house, and they stayed together for some time.

“At first she was a little nervous, in spite of her growing feelings, so my father kept his distance. They talked and talked like good friends, until she would fall asleep by the fireplace, and my father would tuck her into bed before leaving to hunt in the woods. He slept during the day, while my mother was at work; the neighbors never saw him leaving, so they assumed he had left long ago. Their ignorance was bliss for my parents’ clandestine life, while it lasted.

“My mother loved it when my father told stories of his long life before he met her, and when he read her soul, complimenting the beautiful colors and her beautiful eyes. They were irrevocably in love with each other. My mother used to say that she loved my father so much from the beginning that he never had to use his charm on her; she used to say her soul made the decision before she did. They became mates, and they spent the happiest days of their lives together. A secret life, a quiet life, yet a life full of love. When they found out my mother was pregnant, my father was exultant, which made her even happier.

“But it was only a matter of months until they were found out. Someone noticed the scar of the binding bite on my mother’s neck; someone noticed she was with child. They knew they wouldn’t be able to hide forever, but they wished they could. They wished for a different world, where my father wouldn’t be the monster who did such a horrible thing to her; to others, it was so horrible for someone like him to love her like she were his entire universe. My parents could no longer defend themselves against the world; my mother begged my father to leave for his own safety. She was allowed to stay because of her condition and because she was of kin; no one ever realized how deeply rooted was the love they tore apart.

“My father left as a hunted man before I was born. My mother had to have me and look after me by herself. No one would ever forgive my father, or me. She had to be strong; mending her broken heart all alone, raising a child everyone hated, having to survive day after day amongst people who condemned her for the sin of love. The years passed, the commotion died, and she was accepted once again, forgiven. She found peace, but not happiness; there is always something very sad inside her. She is living half a life, but she has never regretted my father”

Chanyeol presses his lips in a sad line, his eyes downcast and a little glassy. He has never met his father, but he knows his mother is a strong, fearless, dignified woman, and he will always admire her for that. It must have been so hard for her to let go of the only thing that could complete her existence, in order to save it; it must have been even harder to spend every day among the people who hurt her, and eventually find the strength to forgive them for what they did to her. Having Chanyeol was not easy by any means; he was a blemished child, a monster like his father, and she was cursed to raise him. But she never once gave up on him. She never once thought of him as a curse or a monster. He was always her son, and she always protected him with everything she had.

“You take after your mother more than you think” Baekhyun’s voice sounds a little trembling, and when Chanyeol blinks away the tears running down the sides of his cheekbones, he sees Baekhyun with equally red, glassy eyes and wet cheeks. The silence between them, untouched by the wheezing of the train, makes Chanyeol feel exposed, open, vulnerable, but so very safe. Looking into Baekhyun’s eyes, he feels like the entire world can fit in the confined space of the train around them whilst in the same time they are in a different nook of the universe where nothing else exists.

“I’m afraid” he whispers, lips unwilling to let out his feelings. Baekhyun’s lips curve downward, more teardrops falling from his lashes. Chanyeol bites his lips and opens his heart, even if it’s difficult. “I grew up in a home without love, Baekhyun. Love was taken away from my family, because it was forbidden; I grew up believing love is something _painful_. It’s tormenting to be able to read your mother’s soul and see her so profoundly miserable. It’s worse when she can’t even look at you, because it makes her relive the pain. What if my father is the same? What if their love was so great and the wound is just as deep, and they cannot _bear_ to care about me? Will…will I always be a lonely and cold child?”

Chanyeol cries without remorse through his words, letting his sorrow paint him black and blue. He thought it was okay. His home might have always been quiet, but it was warm; he is the child of grand adoration, even though he never received it. His parents loved each other so deeply, they shared everything precious they had inside them and then created him; but when the world nearly killed their love, they sealed it in their hearts to protect it, where no one could ever reach it, not even Chanyeol. He understands; it must have been hard. Chanyeol’s mother endured the world loathing her, even when she was heartbroken and in pain; she was brave to welcome him to this life, accept him, raise him and care for him, in her own way. He thought it was okay for his family to be that way; there was no other way it could have been. He never allowed himself to imagine what life would be like if his father had never left, if he wasn’t a vampire, if none of it had ever happened; it would be like wishing for his mother to spend her life separated from everything that would make her happy, and even though it also made her sad, she _was_ happy in her life. But, after meeting Baekhyun and learning all those new feelings of affection by his side, he thinks that maybe, it’s not okay.

For all the fire he has, he cannot warm his own heart. No one can live an eternity without love.

“Please, don’t cry, my Chanyeol” Baekhyun whispers, hardly audible over Chanyeol’s sobs, muffled behind his hand. He leans down over Chanyeol and uses both hands to caress his face, fingers gentle and a little frantic, his soft palms joining soon to wipe away Chanyeol’s tears. His own eyes are overflowing but he doesn’t seem to feel them in the least, trembling lips gaping in dismay as he looks at Chanyeol, worried for him. Chanyeol sniffles and helps wipe away his tears with clumsy hands, until most of them are smudged or gone, his eyes feeling sore. He notices Baekhyun’s tears have subsided too; the shorter sighs in relief and holds Chanyeol’s gaze, his expression serious, until Chanyeol is coherent enough. Then, he places his hands over Chanyeol’s cheeks, cupping them with his warm palms affectionately, while giving Chanyeol a firm look.

“I will care for you” he promises, husky voice sounding a little deeper than usual, making Chanyeol’s heart kick in his chest, triggering a warm feeling that expands inside him, and Chanyeol takes a deep breath, savoring every moment of it. “I will never let you be lonely or cold. You won’t be like me” he says quietly, his eyes glazing over once again. Chanyeol is not sure he understands what Baekhyun is trying to say to its full extent, but he is sure Baekhyun is an angel for trying to save him from the darkest parts of himself, the abyss that once haunted his dreams. He wraps his hands over Baekhyun’s wrists and brings one over his lips to kiss the smaller’s palm as a sign of gratitude. Baekhyun looks at him with an indecipherable look, his puffy eyes twinkling thoughtfully.

“I want to show you something” he whispers, taking Chanyeol’s hand and guiding him to the window; Chanyeol cooperates slowly, feeling exhausted. He would do anything, if Baekhyun asked him to; crossing a small distance is not a feat. There is not much space until they reach the foot of the bed, right under the window, and Baekhyun sits there on the edge, leaving enough space for Chanyeol to sit behind him, with his long legs spread on either side of Baekhyun’s waist. It’s a snug fit, but nobody cares to change it. Baekhyun studies the sky outside for a moment and then he presses his index finger against the windowpane, dragging it to draw a shape against the foggy surface. When he is done, he has circled a cluster of stars in Chanyeol’s line of sight, perhaps a constellation Chanyeol doesn’t recognize, and then he sits back to look at his work properly, his head right under Chanyeol’s nose.

Baekhyun points at the stars.

“That’s where I always thought my mother used to be” he says, his voice small and dejected. He looks forlorn, his gaze to the starts longing and hopeless, so small in comparison to the world around him, and so frailly beautiful. So, his mother is dead, is that what he is saying? Chanyeol can’t bear to see the bravest person he knows be like this, he can’t abandon him, so he puts his arms around Baekhyun protectively, lacing his hands on Baekhyun’s stomach to draw him close. The smaller hiccups a breath and relaxes in the embrace after a moment, his head resting on Chanyeol’s shoulder, his hair tickling the taller’s neck. “I always thought this was my family” he sniffles, eyes shiny with unshed tears and lips curled with the sting of disappointment and betrayal. Chanyeol presses his nose against Baekhyun’s temple, a tear escaping when he closes his eyes for a moment, holding him tightly, as if he is trying to keep him together, just like his fractured heart.

Chanyeol grew up in a cold home; Baekhyun never had one. He doesn’t know which hurts more.

Then suddenly, Baekhyun starts wiping his tears from his eyes with both hands, ungraceful and hurried, his fingertips shining wet, before he turns around in Chanyeol’s arms to look at him with determination in his countenance, his eyes fathomless.

“But those are only stars, Chanyeol. You are my family, only you, do you understand that? And I _care_ for you” he announces quietly but resolutely, pleading eyes brimming with new tears, his lower lip wobbling adorably. Chanyeol loses his breath, a lump clogging his throat. He can only nod wordlessly, his eyes burning with tears like his heart is burning in his chest. Baekhyun bites his lips and threads his fingers through Chanyeol’s hair affectionately, with that sad, yearning gaze he has always reserved for him; he sighs, tired but hopeful of the understanding between them, and Chanyeol gives in, gathering him to his chest and hiding him protectively from everything that hurts him and Chanyeol can’t save him. He wishes one day he will be able to help Baekhyun fight his demons, just like Baekhyun is helping him fight his own, every day.

He lets Baekhyun sob and cry as he cries too, tears mingling and falling, until they both fall asleep.

~~~

It’s almost dawn when they disembark, the darkness turning pale over the horizon, their bodies silhouetted by faint grey light. They are the only passengers to get off at this station, the rest of the passengers still fast asleep in their carriages; they stand silently on the rotting wooden platform to watch the train noisily continue its way on the tracks, exhaling black smoke to the sky. Baekhyun gathers his cloak tighter around him and leans closer to Chanyeol, seeking for warmth in the chilly morning air; Chanyeol wraps an arm around the shorter’s shoulders, both pairs of eyes watching the train becoming smaller in the distance in pensive silence.

The station is no more than a deserted, small building made of stone, empty and locked. It’s hardly ever used; vampires don’t need to use trains and there is nothing in vicinity other than their layer in the mountains, all signs of life hiding or fleeing from the nest of predators. Naturally, visitors are an unusual –and probably, misfortunate– occurrence.

The Black Mountains are some walking distance away, standing tall and proud against the sky, like black diamonds. They seem eerily quiet and still, imposing and graceful in their massive, barren black shroud. After the train station, the distance they need to cover on foot is full of unkempt and wild vegetation, but it’s not exactly a forest. The trees are old and wrinkled, their barks dry and rough, their branches barely sustaining any leaves. The wild grass on the ground is much more alive, tiny flowers and tall weeds swaying as the two travelers pass, shedding dewdrops to the ground. The weather is nice, even though it’s cold, and Chanyeol takes last glimpses of pale skies before the dawn through the spidery, coaled branches; they will soon go underground and the sky will no longer be visible.

When they finally reach the gates, the colors of the dawn are still bundled on the horizon in a long, orange line. There is perhaps more than one entrance to the underground tunnels in the mountains, but they have scouted for the closest one to the train station, so that they won’t arrive very late into the day, disturbing the inhabitants’ sleep. The gate looks nothing grand; it is much like the mouth of a cave, innocuous and ordinary, if not for the tall iron fence surrounding it. The iron bars stretch straight and thin in a small half-circle in front of the opening, symbolically setting a boundary, and there is a gate which opens among them, rusty and frail. It is unlocked, inconsequential, like the rest of the fence; he who dares may enter. Vampires don’t have much to fear.

Baekhyun pushes the door aside, cringing a little when its hinges squeak loudly, but he doesn’t make a step to cross it, returning to Chanyeol’s side and holding his hand. If one looks closely, there are details that are more polished than any cave in a mountain, like the smoothed out edges of the opening and the even ground leading inside, without fallout rocks and wild grass. He takes a deep breath, his mind full of spinning thoughts that don’t make sense for the most part and his heart beating behind his teeth in nervousness and anticipation.

The gate is left open behind them as they cross the mouth of the cave, the mountain looking massive and ready to swallow them above their heads. It’s dark inside the tunnel, but the ground is even and well-kept, the walls keeping a bit of their rough texture, but they have been obviously trimmed to maintain the comfortable width of the tunnel around and over them. Baekhyun squeezes his hand for encouragement the further they walk inside, the light fading behind them to complete darkness.

It is still dark as night, not a ray of sun reaching so far under the surface of the earth and not a torch in sight, when they reach a second iron gate, this one massive and solid, blocking the entire opening of the tunnel, with heavy ironwork and protruding nails. It looks much more appropriate and intimidating, like it’s taken from the fort of an old castle. There is nothing visible or audible behind it, only the cold mass of iron standing still; Chanyeol suspects there are many spells surrounding this place, keeping it standing against earthquakes unharmed, keeping it safe and untouched from all danger. They exchange a look with Baekhyun. The taller is uncertain, having cold feet; this is the last chance to turn around and leave, as if none of this ever happened. Baekhyun is more confident, lacing their fingers in a silent promise that he won’t leave Chanyeol’s side, no matter what.

Chanyeol needs to only touch the grand door for it to swing open slowly and stealthily, unnaturally light, almost inviting them inside. He is sure someone is expecting them; vampire senses would easily pick up the arrival of newcomers, especially in a place so familiar to them. They enter together with Baekhyun, hearts beating a little faster. The room they find themselves into is not some variation of a cave; it’s a proper room, with four walls, a ceiling, floor and two doors carved in stone. There are scenic carvings on the walls, illuminated by the candles melting in joint heaps on either side of the door; the light is weak but every detail is perfectly clear as if it were day. Chanyeol is surprised he can see so well in the otherwise confusing combination of his vampire vision in the dark and his elven sharp sight in luminosity; since vampires have lived here for millennia, it’s only natural they have perfected their living conditions to match their finely tuned senses.

True to Chanyeol’s predictions, two guards have been expecting them in that room, who knows for how long. They are both male, dressed in metallic armor, decorated intricately and falling heavy over their expensive clothes underneath, yet they carry no weapons. He guesses they’d have no use for them. It’s only the second time in his life Chanyeol has seen vampires in person, with sharp fangs and clawed fingers, pale complexion and glowing eyes. The two men expecting them seem a little different from the vampire he remembers, a little less refined and graceful, but there is the same arresting dominance and cold elegance about them. Chanyeol has inherited this intimidating, peaceful aura, more so than Baekhyun, so he is no stranger to it.

“Take off your hoods please” one of the guards requests, his voice calm and clear, his expression neutral; he seems to be the older of the two, his demeanor more composed than the other guard, who seems a little forcedly, unnaturally passive. They look alike, perhaps they are brothers; Chanyeol checks their eyes while his are still hidden under his hood, and indeed they have the same amber eye color, which means they are related.

There is nothing threatening about the guard’s polite request, but there is no room to disobey either. There is no reason for the two visitors to be uncooperative, so they throw their hoods back with their free hands, without letting go of each other or uttering a word. The guards examine them discreetly, the younger one more intently, but it’s the older guard’s gaze that lingers on Chanyeol, his eyes flickering with signs of emotions which flee too fast to recognize.

“What do you seek?” he asks in the same voice as before, perfectly composed and polite. Chanyeol glances at Baekhyun to draw courage; the shorter looks effortlessly calm, gazing back at the two men, and Chanyeol feels his spirit flaring.

“We would like to meet with Master Park” he answers calmly, his deep voice turning the words almost tangible. He doesn’t know how else to ask for his father except by their common surname, and the words of his mother’s stories, which mentioned his father was a nobleman of sorts. The older guard seems unsurprised, nodding once as if he was expecting those exact words, but the younger one’s eyes widen in shock, blinking at Chanyeol incredulously, making a short reappraisal of the tall elf’s appearance. Chanyeol doesn’t know what to make of their contrasting reactions.

“Follow us, please” the older guard instructs, waving at the other guard to follow him through one of the doors. Chanyeol and Baekhyun exchange a meaningful glance and trail after them, stepping into the new corridor and keeping each other close.

The guards haven’t welcomed them per se. They didn’t even ask their names, or why they wish to meet with that specific man. It’s suspicious.

“Where are we going?” Chanyeol asks, his eyes alert and focused on the guards. It’s unlikely they are heading to a trap; there has been no hostility from the guards and the room around them is very clean-cut –a threat would be visible from the other end of it, it wouldn’t come as a surprise. Besides, if the guards were distrustful of the newcomers, they wouldn’t have turned their unprotected backs to them. Chanyeol still has this looming feeling that the men are not leading them to his father; there is no place under the sun where a stranger is allowed to see a nobleman with a simple call.

“Before you meet with Master Park, you need to see her ladyship, the Countess Irene” the guard confirms Chanyeol’s suspicions, his words honest, without hesitation or hidden meaning. Chanyeol supposes there is some sort of protocol they need to follow till they are allowed to see his father; vampires practice a complicated caste system, and perhaps the guards are not in place to ask questions to the visitors or welcome them as guests.

They walk down wide hallways with carved, ornate walls, all of them silent and empty of people. They come across crossroads and they pass by open doorways, which lead to narrower or wider corridors, some completely dark and others sparsely lit by iron lanterns hanging from the ceiling or forgotten torches. Every now and then, there are windows on the wall, wide openings in the thick barrier of stone, overlooking open spaces lower in the ground, which look like town squares and parks, with small shop fronts and light posts with ornate ironwork. It looks like any tended city over the ground, even without the colors of the sky and flowers and life. It’s quiet everywhere they pass, like a dollhouse remaining idle while its tenants sleep.

The door they cross on the left leads directly to a staircase downwards, with no more walls around it or railings; the stair is standing on its own in the open space it leads to, which looks like the biggest city square Chanyeol has ever seen. It is so wide and the ceiling is so high that it resembles open space rather than a room; there are other sets of stairs that lead to hallways on different levels, multiple doorways that lead to this level directly, unlit lanterns of iron and a few closed shops. The corridors have arched windows overlooking the square, row upon row of them, different levels rising overhead, which makes Chanyeol question how deep in the ground they’ve reached. Their steps echo slightly around the empty space as they cross it, climbing a different stair on the other side, which leads to an arched door, just like the one they came through.

They enter hallways again, but the further they go, something changes. These halls are different from the ones they’ve crossed so far, more polished and luxurious. It reminds Chanyeol of the transition to the upper city back in his native land, where the mansions and markets looked more posh and ornamented. The halls are carpeted, there are draperies and oil paintings on canvases hanging on the walls, statues and lanterns, delicate and decorative, the doors they pass are closed, like they have entered an aristocratic house. At long last, they stop in front of one door, the guard excusing himself and asking them to wait with the younger one.

Chanyeol absently plays with Baekhyun’s hand which he hasn’t let go for a second while they wait, his stomach drumming nervously. He doesn’t know what to expect, but he hopes for the best; there is no reason to deny him a meeting with his father or send him away; his intensions are harmless. If they are told to wait till the sunset before they can meet someone, it would be unfortunate; they would have to spend the day in empty hallways, like two children in an abandoned playground. But even then, if he has Baekhyun, he will be okay. They’ve come so far, a day is trivial worth.

The guard opens the door again and invites them inside, his expression calm and indecipherable; Baekhyun tightens his hold on Chanyeol’s hand to give him strength. The room they enter looks like a lavish lobby for an office; the walls are painted pastel mint and there are living room furnishings on one side, crafted and luxurious, adorned with many details and even flowers they must have brought from outside. In one corner, there is a wooden desk covered in stacks of paper and parchment, an old man standing in front of it to greet them. Chanyeol eyes the man carefully; vampires don’t age, but this man is as much of a vampire as he is old, with wrinkles and grey hair. He must be a turned one –Chanyeol has never seen one before.

Most of those who are not born vampires can be turned into a semblance of one, if a vampire bites them, drains them, and then they are killed and resurrected. It’s not common practice and the end result is not exactly the same as a vampire. They are more like impostor puppets, tied to their sire’s will; they are servants of sorts, loyal and dependent on the vampire who turned them. They are not very highly esteemed by other vampires; they might be the lowest caste of all, their bloodlines are unclean. They are disposable and replaceable, almost invisible to the rest, and very rare; only few vampires are allowed to turn someone of different species into such a cross-death creature.

“I’ve been told you wish to meet with the Countess Irene?” the man inquires with a servile, polite smile, his eyes shifting from Chanyeol to Baekhyun and back. The guard is standing a step behind Chanyeol, the younger one who waited with them outside now positioned by the door.

“It seems to be so” Chanyeol answers, his voice steady and deep, his eyes looking at the short, old man intently; he must be hers, and she seems to be keeping him in good condition, dressed appropriately, the rest of his appearance tidy. He wonders what sort of woman the Countess is –and what relation she has to his father. The man laces his fingers pensively to respond, as if he is praying.

“I don’t believe she is expecting you, and you do realize it’s rather late, I suppose” he starts phrasing a polite refusal, but he is interrupted by the guard clearing his throat. The servant looks at the man who is glaring at him sternly, and the old man lowers his gaze after the reprimand. Even the guard is higher in rank and can impose on the old man’s will, even if he’s not his sire. Watching so much invisible power, inherited dominance and accommodating submission unraveling, Chanyeol starts wondering where he stands in the social hierarchy. He could be in a decent rank, like his father, but he could also be an outsider, like this servant; it has nothing to do with his true potential, but he’d rather not offend anyone by being accidentally disrespectful.

The servant takes a moment to recompose himself, and then he paints a smile on his lips, forced and clearly bitter, but he has no choice other than to live this way. “Who may I announce then?” he inquires merrily, rubbing his hands awkwardly in his effort to be accommodating.

“There is no need for you to know” the guard answers before Chanyeol has time to open his mouth, his tone harsh and cold. He is looking at the man with a clearly annoyed expression, strict and firm, as if he is exasperated with the old man’s disobedience. Chanyeol looks between the two of them and decides he is not ranking with the servant; in fact, he might be ranking higher than the guard, which is why he is protecting him against the man’s indiscretion.

Which raises the question; how does the guard know his rank?

The servant’s expression turns blank and passive, a dark cloud shadowing him like a curtain of shame and indignation. It must be strange to be trapped between wanting things and not wanting them at the same time, for the rest of his life. Baekhyun stays very still beside Chanyeol, sensing the tension in the room and trying to remain unnoticed. He must be just as uncertain about his social status amidst vampires, and he might not even know what rank his deceased parent belonged to. Chanyeol tightens his hold in Baekhyun’s hand imperceptibly; he would never allow anyone to treat him like this, regardless of his ancestors’ rank.

“I shall inform her ladyship” the servant bows in apology without a word, and disappears behind a door on the side of the room. The guard takes a step back, catching Chanyeol and Baekhyun’s attention, and they both turn to the side to look at him.

“Please, forgive his insolence” the guard bows low, conveying serious and deep regret. The younger guard by the door also bows right away when he sees the older one do so. Chanyeol feels a little flustered, eyes widening, and Baekhyun frowns in confusion. Why are they bowing, asking for forgiveness for another man’s supposed offence? Chanyeol suddenly realizes that the guards have been composed and polite, but _maybe_ they are also afraid of him, for some unknown reason. “He spends too much time with her ladyship that he forgets his place among the rest of us” the man continues, slowly unbending his body, the second guard mimicking him by the door. _This is about social status?_ Chanyeol is puzzled; how would the guard know of his rank if he doesn’t even know his name? Once the man is standing again, Chanyeol holds his gaze.

“How do you know of my place?” he inquires, the shadow of a frown settled between his eyebrows. He is tempted to read his soul, but the last time he tried reading a vampire, it didn’t end well. The man seems to have a little difficulty keeping his gaze so directly, but it would be disrespectful to avoid a personal question from a superior.

“Your place is very…eminent” he answers calmly, lowering his eyes with a small, polite nod of acknowledgement, before retreating to the door. The younger guard doesn’t lift his eyes, less strong than the older one, who restores his composure and lifts his eyes again, perfectly collected as the first moment they saw him. Baekhyun looks at Chanyeol, his eyes full of questions. Chanyeol doesn’t understand either; could they be mistaking him for someone else?

Just then, the door opens and out comes the servant, shoulders hunched and head bowed, his eyes glued to the ground, like a beaten up dog. He looks completely subservient and subdued, his entire body disfigured to show his penitence. “Her ladyship will see you now” he says quietly, scurrying out of the way when Chanyeol and Baekhyun make a step forward. This is all very strange; Chanyeol was always considered a monster who people thought was frightening and disgusting, but now, amongst monsters of his kind, he is feared and respected.

The elegant door they need to cross is tall and narrow, so they have to go in one by one. Chanyeol sends Baekhyun first, because he is certain it is safe for him to turn his back to the people who appear to be his inferiors, but nothing has been said about Baekhyun so far. They go into a room which is bigger than the lobby, an office with appropriate furniture, the decorations in shades of cream and light blue, with golden details. Everything, from the tall bookcase made of wood and glass to the ornate desk and silken curtains that hide another door at the back, seems polished and unique, harmonizing perfectly with the sky-blue tinted walls and the cream colored carpet. There are porcelain figurines and white flowers in painted vases, a grand fireplace of marble nesting a small fire, candles and a chandelier of gold and glass bathing the room in a white haze, similar to the midday sun. This room is _exactly_ like an expensive doll house.

And what other could the woman be but a living doll?

The Countess is a beautiful woman. She looks deceptively young and innocent, but if she is so comfortable to be awake when everyone else sleeps, she must be old and skilled. She is not very tall but her figure is slim, and she greets them while sitting on her desk, seemingly interrupted while reviewing some files, but all the same uncaring to use a proper chair, opting to sit on the same level as her papers. She is wearing an elegant white dress, with golden buttons from her neck to her waistline, lace sleeves and a flowy skirt that reaches her ankles, billowing gracefully around her pristine white boots. Her hair has a strange lilac color, flowing in soft waves down her shoulders and back, and her eyes are black like opal. She has pale skin and beautiful features, her tinted hot-pink lips curling in an amused smile which showcases her fangs.

“My, my…I had never expected to see this” she says with perfect articulation, her voice gentle and entertained, her eyes widening and twinkling with interest at the sight of Chanyeol and Baekhyun standing before her. She hops down from her perch gracefully, her steps truly resembling the refined manners of a countess; she reminds Chanyeol of the way he always thought vampires are, more than the guards outside. Charming, elegant, refined and lethal.

She moves slowly closer across the room, her wide eyes examining her guests, wholly captivated, head tilting to capture more angles; Baekhyun shuffles closer to Chanyeol, a little uncomfortable by the persistent scrutiny, but he keeps his eyes on her, vigilant. Chanyeol is a little used to such stares, from the days at the bakery. He similarly keeps his focus on her though, trying to distinguish anything substantial; he still doesn’t know who she is and why they need to see her before his father.

“Your ladyship” Chanyeol addresses her politely, not sure of what else to say after her perplexing greeting lines. If she is superior, he doesn’t feel it at all; except for her manners and beauty, in spite of her courtly and powerful aura, she doesn’t seem any different to him than the guards outside –although he can tell she is ranking clearly higher than them. The woman stops in her tracks when she hears his voice, her long, clawed fingers covering her gaping lips in astonishment.

“This is absolutely fascinating” she whispers to herself, blinking at Chanyeol as if he is a wonder of the world. Chanyeol frowns perplexed; his appearance is less unusual than Baekhyun’s, but it’s like Baekhyun has become invisible and Chanyeol has turned into a sparkling diamond jewel since they stepped foot in this underground city. Do they treat all unfamiliar visitors similarly? The Countess turns her gaze to Baekhyun beside him, after she has concluded her examination of Chanyeol’s features, and she runs her clever, wide eyes over his features too, but she doesn’t linger on him as long. Chanyeol notices the color of her eyes swirling, an indication of excitement, before she blinks it away.

“Oh, forgive me, I have been rude” she says then, lowering her hand from her lips to her heart in a demure gesture “Such a visit is unprecedented and I got carried away.” She straightens her posture graciously and gives them a poised, well practiced smile. “I am Countess Irene, the only of my bloodline in the mountains, member of our layer’s high council and hopefully, your friend” her smile turns playful at the end; she possess a female grace Chanyeol has never seen before, but he is reluctant to call her a friend. He trusted her surprise to be more genuine than her smile, and there is something distinctly predatory in her eyes, a danger that can never be fully concealed under polite manners and smiles. He wonders what her soul would look like if he tried to read her.

“And what are your names?” she inquires politely after a beat of silence, in a friendly tone of voice. Chanyeol supposes she is of the highest rank if she is a member of the high council, so she is allowed to ask any question she wants. If they have to gain her favor to meet with his father, Chanyeol decides to cooperate and be agreeable, setting his suspicion aside.

“I am Chanyeol, and this is Baekhyun” he introduces calmly. The woman’s eyes spark in excitement.

“Well then, Chanyeol, Baekhyun, you shall be my guests. Welcome to the Black Mountains” she announces joyfully, making sure to give each of them a warm smile. Chanyeol is still not entirely convinced by her smile, but it brings a small relief that she has addressed Baekhyun just like him; even if Baekhyun is of different rank, which they have no way of knowing, he won’t be treated any differently as the noblewoman’s guest. “Please, come inside, have a seat. What fortunate occasion brings you to my humble office?” she gestures to the prim living room set by the fireplace and leads them to it pleasantly, like a good hostess. Baekhyun and Chanyeol sit beside each other, their hands still firmly clasped, and she sits opposite them, crossing her legs under her skirt.

“We were referred to you, because we wish to see Master Park” Chanyeol explains, his voice smooth and civil; there is nothing to give away the nervousness he feels but his hold on Baekhyun’s hand, and the smaller man squeezes his fingers to soothe him. Her next words will likely be an answer to his request and he can only hope it will be favorable; they have come so far, the disappointment wouldn’t be devastating but it would be great. The Countess nods in understanding.

“I figured” she admits serenely, “Your father will be glad to see you.”

Chanyeol’s breath stops in his lungs after her words. In part, that was the consent they’d need to see his father; but he never mentioned he is his father’s son.

“How do you know he is my father?” he questions, his voice polite, but his brows crease on his forehead skeptically, his gaze turns guarded. Baekhyun’s fingers twitch uneasily in his hold. The Countess runs her fingers through her purple hair over her shoulder unfazed, serious and calm.

“Everyone would; the resemblance is astounding!” she retorts, eyes widening once more in amusement and blinking rapidly a couple of times. “A prince in rags is still a prince”

Chanyeol purses his lips thoughtfully; she has no reason to lie. Based on her initial reaction before she even knew his name or the purpose of his visit, she probably recognized him from his appearance –and the same must have happened with the guards. He knows he looks like his father, even though he’s never met him; he could never doubt their resemblance when his own mother wouldn’t look at him because he reminded her of his father so much. But he knows he looks like his mother too; he has her eyes, if not for the burgundy color his father bestowed him. It hadn’t occurred to him that, in fact, he might look so much like his father that anyone would recognize him at first sight. His father is an _eminent_ figure, after all.

“When can we see him?” Baekhyun asks calmly, to prevent an unnecessary addendum of silence in their conversation. His thumb keeps drawing reassuring circles against Chanyeol’s hand, sensing his discomfort. She inadvertently agreed that they would see him previously, but arranging a specific time for their meeting would finalize the objective. Her ladyship smoothes her hands over her skirt carefully, not to rip the material with her trimmed claws.

“That is a little complicated” she admits just as carefully as grazing her skirt, looking at Chanyeol and Baekhyun with pensive eyes and a calm expression, as if she is expecting them to show understanding. Baekhyun frowns at her, mystified.

“What do you mean?” he presses calmly, his tone conversational. ‘Complicated’ could mean many different things and they wouldn’t want to step into the dark, especially since they are in an unfamiliar place, where their only ‘friend’ so far has a smile more voracious than reassuring. The Countess sighs, her gaze focusing on the fireplace thoughtfully; she looks like she is trying to find the right words to explain. For every passing second of silence, Chanyeol feels his heart picking up the pace.

“There is a certain…sensitive predicament, concerning your father at the moment. I will have to make special arrangements for you to meet him” she explains conscientiously, her dark eyes looking at the two men and gauging their every miniscule reaction. Baekhyun’s eyebrow quirks, his insightful gaze piercing the woman across from them, threatening to expose any lie and misdemeanor.

“What sort of predicament is this?” he asks curiously, and Chanyeol mirrors his question in his expression. He is vey tempted to read her soul, but if she is as old as she seems to be, he knows he will only perceive chaos and it will make him sick –which wouldn’t be helpful at all. It’s better if Baekhyun asks the questions for now. The Countess blinks innocently and grins at them nonchalantly.

“Oh, nothing to worry you” she assures them, with an elegant, dismissive wave of her hand. “No one can deny you to meet your father, young master Park” she reassures, turning her gaze exclusively to Chanyeol. Her expression is amicable but also somber, making her look a little older than before. “You are young, but you are powerful. Perhaps you have never been here before, but your rank is amongst the highest of us” she confirms Chanyeol’s assumptions, about himself and herself both, looking deep into his eyes; her black irises are a perfect match for her. “You are your father’s only offspring, and the only of your bloodline; do you know how much we value that?” she makes sure her words come off sincere, the gravity of them wrapping around every syllable that form her lips, and settling in the air between them like pebbles on the riverbed. Chanyeol is sure she means what she says; he has already witnessed other vampires fearing him, and he knows social rank is very important to their predator pride.

He just can’t figure what hides behind her eyes.

The Countess’ character changes then, escaping the heavy mood between them with a pleasant smile and a shift of her body posture. “So, for how many days will you be staying? I can have your father’s old quarters prepared for you” she proposes to both men accommodatingly. Chanyeol can sense Baekhyun’s pensiveness beside him, even though his expression doesn’t betray his absent mind, so he decides to speak for them both.

“We don’t know how long we will be staying” he informs her, as politely as he can. If they have a place to stay while visiting his father, it could be days, or, he might not even need an hour with him. He doesn’t need something specific from him; he wishes to see him, talk with him, and that is all. Everything else depends on the unpredictable result of their first meeting. He knows too little about his father to decide how much time he will have to spend with him until he feels satisfied. The Countess nods in understanding once again –Chanyeol wonders if she would be as accepting if he weren’t his father’s son.

“I shall make arrangements for your accommodation and your entertainment, and for anything else you might need, don’t hesitate to call on me” she offers agreeably, making sure her guests be welcomed properly and will be treated with utmost care during their stay. Both men thank her politely and she returns a polite response. “Now, about your meeting with Master Park” she mentions professionally, causing Chanyeol’s and Baekhyun’s smile to freeze a little on their lips from the unexpected turn of the conversation. If she notices their reaction, she doesn’t show it. “Do you wish to have it right away?”

Chanyeol doesn’t even need to think before he answers “Yes”

The Countess excuses herself to her desk, where she sits properly and writes a note for them, containing the appropriate ‘arrangements’ to see his father. Her quill dances over her paper in long strokes, but Chanyeol couldn’t guess what she is writing down from his place in the living room with Baekhyun. While she is not paying them any attention, Chanyeol tries to prepare mentally for the imminent meeting with his father; he can’t share a word of his concerns with Baekhyun but he doesn’t need to. The smaller man holds Chanyeol’s hand in both of his, caressing his sore fingers and knuckles that had been so wound up until now, with his long, fair fingers. The soothing touch reaches under Chanyeol’s skin, coaxing the blood in his veins to run slower. Chanyeol lets himself be lulled from the sensation, while he idly plays with the small fire in the hearth.

With the note in hand, sealed by the Countess, they leave her office with a vague mention of meeting each other again later. Only the older of the guards who brought them here waits for them outside and, with one word from the Countess, he continues to lead the way when they start for his father’s rooms. They walk through different halls but Chanyeol recognizes the grand square when they cross it again, this time leaving through a door on the base level of it. They walk some good distance into different tunnels, until they reach a narrower one, where they can only walk one behind the other. It leads to a set of claustrophobic stairs, and then to a room shaped like a circle. Compared to the quarters of the Countess, this part is very different; Chanyeol wonders why his father lives at such a place.

The round room is empty, save for a heavy grid of wood with iron stakes hanging close to the ceiling, all across its diameter, held in place by a chain, which slithers down the side on one wall. The wall is full of doors which lead to narrow dark tunnels, the arches identical to each other and to the one they just came from, making for a disorienting effect. There is one man standing in the middle of the room, dressed in armor like the guard who has brought them here, but this man is also armed with a sword and knives. He greets them collectedly, but his eyes examine the newcomers closely, lingering on Chanyeol’s bow and, strangely enough, noticing Baekhyun’s unusual eyes, without giving any definite reaction. He receives the note with the Countess’ seal and reads it quietly, then nods once and lets them pass. The familiar guard leads them to one of the tunnels, but he stops short by the entrance.

“This is as far as we are allowed” he apologizes, politely motioning for Baekhyun and Chanyeol to continue into the tunnel without him. The two men exchange a wary and confused look, but they decide to see this to the end, going into the narrow passageway.

There is a door at the end, made of solid iron, with many binders and bolts and complicated gears all across its surface. Assuming they are supposed to open it, Chanyeol and Baekhyun employ all hands to tinker with the giant lock that’s splayed all over the door; Chanyeol cannot understand why this place looks so much like a prison. He cannot imagine what sort of ‘sensitive predicament’ has brought his father at such a place. When they finally manage out of sheer luck to unlock that monstrosity of mechanics, the door creaks open slowly, retreating under the pressure of their hands. Chanyeol holds his breath and looks into the room, his hand finding Baekhyun’s and gripping it tightly.

The room is not very large but it is comfortable and bright, warmth overflowing from the fire in the small fireplace. The walls might have been painted in bleak colors once, but now they are covered in vivid murals of different locations blending together seamlessly; Chanyeol recognizes his city in one corner. He has seen the very same view from the top of a tree in the nearby woods. There is a tidy single bed on one side, a table with four chairs and a vase with colorful paper flowers, a small closet and a door, which probably leads to the bathroom. And on the other side, seated on top of a bookcase brimming with books and holding one of them open on his lap, is his father.

It could be no one else.

They were right; Chanyeol and he bear a striking resemblance. The man is as tall as him and he has similar built, his hair the darkest brown and his skin pale. The angles of his face are an exact replica of the reflection Chanyeol has been seeing in the mirror all his life. Their hands are the same. He could be a reflection if it weren’t for his different clothes, a white silken shirt tucked into black pants, and for his haircut, since Chanyeol’s hair has grown out in more than a month and it curls at the ends. The man looks surprised to see the door open, but his burgundy eyes find focus on Chanyeol perfectly straight; their shape is a little different. He closes his book.

“Hello, my son” the man says with certainty, his voice deep like Chanyeol’s, but also different in texture. Baekhyun looks back and forth between the two men in fluster, observing them again and again, finding all the similarities and minuscule differences. Chanyeol’s jaw goes slack, blinking in disbelief at the mirroring image of himself, as he stands frozen in the doorway. He had expected to see something remarkable when he’d meet his father for the first time –and it _is_ remarkable how much they look alike– but he hadn’t expected to see something so familiar.

The man slithers down from his high seat on the bookcase and starts walking closer, his steps careful and deliberate, as if he doesn’t want to spook his guests. He places his book on the table, not sparing it another glance, and he stops in front of Chanyeol, his eyes running over his son’s features with fondness in them. Chanyeol examines him closely in return, finding little differences that keep him sane, but also coming to realize that his eye color is the exact same shade of deep red. The man raises his hands tentatively, his claws hidden –it’s an ability not everyone has. His fingertips touch Chanyeol’s cheekbones and the latter doesn’t even flinch at the contact.

“You take after your mother, Chanyeol” the man smiles melancholically, plush lips, identical to Chanyeol’s, stretching over his teeth and showing his fangs. Their smiles are a little different. Chanyeol blinks rapidly in incredulity; he did not expect to hear _that_ from the carbon image of himself.

“My name” he mumbles incoherently under his breath, his fingers twitching in Baekhyun’s iron hold. His father just called him by name. _How?_ The man nods in confirmation.

“Your mother and I decided on your name before you were born” he explains, a nostalgic expression overtaking his features. Chanyeol’s mother never told him that; perhaps it is a memory that hurts too much for her. “I have always known your name”

“I don’t know yours” Chanyeol whispers, placing his hand atop his father’s and gently removing it from his face. His father drops both his hands, his gaze remorseful. He doesn’t answer immediately, inviting them inside instead, pulling two chairs out at the table and sitting on the other side. Chanyeol doesn’t know if it was him or Baekhyun who closed the door for privacy –the guards could surely hear them before– and then the two of them approach the table and sit down; Chanyeol didn’t know how much he needed to sit down until his knees bent a little and then gave out altogether.

“I have many names, I have lived many lives” his father says, seeming content beyond a way that can be explained, which also allows him to keep his composure and friendly smile. Indeed, his father is old; it doesn’t show on his body, but his eyes have a light that has shined for many years. “Most people call me Master Park; it’s the most constant of my names. But you don’t need a name for me” he reassures Chanyeol with an easy smile. _I am your father_ is left unsaid, but Chanyeol knows what that look means. His father keeps looking at him as if he can’t get enough, but he is the gentleman his mother always talked of, and it wouldn’t be proper to ignore Baekhyun. “And this lovely young man is your mate, I assume?” he asks cheerfully, sending a beautiful smile at the smaller man.

Baekhyun’s eyes widen, his cheeks blossoming pink, and Chanyeol is jolted out of his initial daze, fluster and embarrassment cascading down on him rapidly.

“Oh no” he is quick to deny on both of their behalf, flailing his free hand accordingly. His father blinks questioningly, his smile transforming to a bewildered pout that makes him look even younger than Chanyeol; he looks a little disappointed, too. Chanyeol stutters, the words escaping him before they leave his lips to explain. “This is my…Baekhyun” he ends up saying, his turmoil oddly shimmering down in an instant after he says it out loud. It sounds somewhat…right. Baekhyun’s name on Chanyeol’s lips sounds different from other times he has said it though, and the two of them notice, exchanging a lost, secretly relieved gaze.

“Oh, I see” Chanyeol’s father says with a knowing nod of his head. He turns his attention to Baekhyun, tentatively extending a hand towards him; Baekhyun is still too flustered inwardly to flinch away, and he probably doesn’t find it very different from Chanyeol’s touch. The taller watches as his father curls a finger under Baekhyun’s chin and guides his head gently, first right, then left, inspecting his features closely; Chanyeol can’t guess what the older man is looking for. Baekhyun patiently cooperates. “I knew your father” he announces then with a thoughtful, not particularly happy frown, releasing Baekhyun. Chanyeol’s eyes widen in surprise; his father recognized Baekhyun’s bloodline just by the color of his eyes? Moreover, he knew his father? Baekhyun never met him, so perhaps Chanyeol’s father could…

“But you’re nothing like him” the man says gently, his expression forming into a soft smile. If he is trying to charm Baekhyun to make the disappointment smoother, Chanyeol is not convinced. It’s not what Chanyeol thought he would say, and he said it almost like a compliment, oblivious of Baekhyun’s family history, but his words might have been hurtful to Baekhyun, and Chanyeol wouldn’t appreciate that, not even from his father. He turns to Baekhyun nervously, an apology hanging on the tip of his tongue, but the smaller is smiling at his father, his eyesmiles forming faintly. Chanyeol is confused.

“Thank you, sir” Baekhyun accepts his father’s words like a compliment, looking very pleased with his father’s observation. Chanyeol shakes his head; he feels like he is missing something.

“Please, call me father, too” Chanyeol’s father shows a toothy grin, and Chanyeol turns to look at him in surprise; the ease he proposed it with is striking “You might not be my son’s mate but you _are_ ‘his Baekhyun’” he quotes meaningfully, making both younger men blush and avoid each other’s gaze. Chanyeol didn’t mean it exactly like that! His father chuckles and dismisses the awkward shyness in the air with a different question. “How did you two come so far? I was under the impression I was imprisoned for the past decades” his eyebrows quirk sarcastically, but the fact that he is aware and just admitted that his ‘sensitive predicament’ is imprisonment, shakes Chanyeol back to his senses. Baekhyun shifts their hands under the table to a more comfortable position on his thigh.

“We met Countess Irene” Chanyeol starts carefully, his eyes serious and watching his father for a reaction. The man raises his eyebrows, faking interest; his bitterness has nothing to do with Chanyeol of course, it’s prominently linked to the woman and perhaps someone else. “She allowed us to see you”

His father relaxes in his chair, his eyes tightening in thought. “Ah, so she was the highest bidder, hm? That black widow” he mumbles the last part, his tone falsely amused with private thoughts; Chanyeol quirks an eyebrow in question. “If you were to meet a noble person here, you would normally have to wait for days; vampires like taking their time” he starts explaining, “But she had bribed the guards to bring you straight to her –if you ever came here, that is. They are growing desperate” his father seems viciously entertained by the situation, and yet vitriolic. Chanyeol cannot imagine why.

“I don’t understand” he admits, shaking his head. “Why are you imprisoned? Why would she want to meet me first? Why did she allow us to visit you, if you are her prisoner?”

“I will explain everything, my son” his father says with a sigh, sitting properly in his chair, making it easier for the two men to focus on his words. “I am old; one of the oldest of us there are under the sun. I have seen cities rise and fall, I’ve lived in places that sunk under the sea, I’ve met many people who lived a long life and died before I realized the moon waxing and waning. I have survived millennia, like very few others have. I am an atypical sample, even for our immortal kind.

“In being so old, I am unique in other ways. I can read souls –a gift that died long ago amongst our kind; younger ones didn’t know how to hold it, the elder ones died in war or perished in other ways. My power to wield fire has always been distinctive and inimitable; that is why they call me Master. There are others, families that wield the earth and water in some way or other, but no one can touch the fire” he opens his palm on the table, a small flame unraveling on it and dancing effortlessly. Chanyeol opens his hand next to his father’s and lights a small fire in his hand as well. His father gazes at the twining flames with an affectionate little smile, his eyes sad and yearning. Chanyeol’s fire wants to jump in his father’s hand, leaning close to it.

“I have no other family –siblings, cousins, any and all descendants. We are the last of a very ancient clan. The bloodline ends with you. You have no brothers or sisters; the only mate I have ever taken is your mother. And I miss her terribly” he closes his hand, extinguishing the flame, his voice growing unbearably tender when he mentions Chanyeol’s mother. Chanyeol withdraws his hand too, caressing the flame away; he feels guilty that he doesn’t feel worse after finding out he has no other family, but he has always been lonely in the purest form the word can describe, and that state has no degrees. Baekhyun lowers his eyes as a sign of respect to the man’s mourning. Chanyeol can feel his eyes burning with tears, because he can feel his father’s loss in his bones, he was _born_ with it. His father takes a moment to recompose himself and continues.

“In this world –in _our_ world–, it is an extreme honor to be related to us. It is reserved for royalty, only to enhance their power over the rest. A child of our bloodline would be the key to the highest social power we know so far, reflecting on the entire family of the bearer –and vampires are greedy to bear such a child. Having one king or queen instead of high councils is a significant temptation. But since there is no one else but you and me left, the only way to fulfill their aspirations is an offspring, yours or mine.

“When I had to leave your mother and return here to save us both –and you–, the high council punished me for binding a woman who was not even a vampire, ‘wasting such a gift in infatuated folly’ they said, and they sentenced me to this irregular imprisonment” the man shakes his head bemusedly. “I am not a prisoner, I cannot be; but I simply cannot leave either. I could not leave a day to see your mother from afar one last time; or to meet you for the first time. A friend told me he met you” his father gives him a mischievous smile and Chanyeol blushes, lowering his gaze guiltily, like a child caught with his hand in the cookie jar.

Baekhyun unexpectedly stoops to peer under Chanyeol’s bangs curiously, as if he is trying to naively figure out what he feels by stealing a peek, and Chanyeol flinches back from the unexpected proximity. Baekhyun flinches back in surprise too, and they end up like two idiots who spooked each other, Chanyeol’s father laughing loudly at their antics.

When the commotion dies and Chanyeol settles again next to a timid Baekhyun, his father resumes his speech. “I always prayed I would meet you one day, but I never thought…I would see myself” he admits, his original, joyous smile returning on his lips. Chanyeol smiles back and Baekhyun smiles too, relieved that everything is going well, in spite of Chanyeol’s fears. But then his father’s expression gradually dims and transforms to sadness, disappointment and worry, a frown appearing between his eyebrows. “You shouldn’t have come” he says quietly; Chanyeol deflates, feeling a little betrayed and hurt, like an arrow piercing through his heart. He doesn’t think his father means harm though. “You couldn’t have known, but those vampires out there are desperate and ruthless; they will do whatever they can to mate with you. They are not to be trusted. And you” he suddenly turns to Baekhyun, whose eyes widen from the swift shift of attention “You should be careful, too; you are a toy to them, an unclaimed one at that. They might hurt you, especially if they suspect you are his unbound mate” he warns seriously. He waits until both men show they understand before he relaxes again, leaning against the back of his chair, looking very elegantly exhausted.

“If they cannot attract you, and if they cannot rid of you to force my son to pick another mate, their alternative is to wait for me to break the vow of my bond to your mother, or go insane in this silent room and do anything they wish to be let out” he jokes halfheartedly, a sarcastic smile curling his lips. Chanyeol doesn’t like these alternatives, which deep down are more real than they might seem. He doesn’t know if he can think of another way though. Baekhyun looks at Chanyeol’s father like a concerned puppy, droopy eyes wide and a little sad. Chanyeol’s father notices his gaze and chuckles lightly, sending him a real smile and pinching Baekhyun’s nose affectionately. “Oh, don’t worry about me; eternity is a long time to be insane”

~~~

It’s a little to an hour before sunset when they leave his father, after the time they were promised has run out. Chanyeol feels reluctant to leave, as if his father might disappear overnight –stranger things have happened, and in this maze of mountain granite and deception, safety may crumble in a blink of the eye and danger is always peeking behind broken mirrors. But his father is certain of their reunion, and in that aspect he advises they are punctual with their time schedule today; if they prudently obey the rules, it is less likely anyone will have the excuse to prod further than the surface of their meetings. Many might cast their net for information concerning those exchanges, under the false pretense of curiosity and using all civil means at their disposal. Chanyeol and Baekhyun will have to pretend, lie, gracefully avoid such conversations and steer clear of intricate traps; in this society, it takes decades to build a lie and seconds to witness it fall apart.

They have already made arrangements to visit his father tomorrow separately, their schedule neatly written down by his father as an order to their hostess, the Countess. It seems, in spite of his peculiarly imprisoned state, the man still possess great power and is widely respected –even by her ladyship. The sealed letter is in the hands of the guard who escorts them everywhere, now leading them through the labyrinth of the underground city, back to the densely inhabited areas, which are still asleep. The spaces are bright with lights but empty; the invisible sun over the land has not yet dictated the vampires are allowed to leave their cribs.

They cross to a different part, where signs of life are more sparse and composed, the hallways get more embellished and wide, the carved decorations and luxe draperies exude imposing supremacy and wealth, and the heavy doors are widely spaced apart. It reminds Chanyeol of the wealthy manors in the upper city, more than the Countess’ office quarters did. Old and powerful families must be the fortunate inhabitants of these wide spaces, and everything is polished as new to please them, even though these findings might as well be centuries’ worth. In one of these halls, Chanyeol and Baekhyun are shown to their room. It used to be his father’s room, prior to his relocation.

The guard bows his respects from the door, since he can’t enter the room, and leaves them alone to their devices without a single word, presumably for the Countess’ office to deliver his father’s note. Chanyeol makes sure the door is closed and locked properly after him.

“This room is…impressive” Baekhyun mumbles, catching Chanyeol’s attention. He is standing the middle of the enormous space and marveling at his surroundings.

“It’s not what one would expect for sure” Chanyeol agrees, eyes travelling around as he slowly paces to the centre, to stand beside the smaller.

Truth be told, Chanyeol expected the private bedrooms carved in the mountain to be small, hard and cold –and even though this might be true for some, it seems this mountain has no restrictions for space, no matter how many souls lurk inside it. This room could equal a house; it has a high ceiling, a spacious living area, separated from a furnished office by a loaded yet tidy library; there is a slightly elevated space, where there is a posh bed, and another living room on the other side, more snuggly and private. There are two doors on the left, one presumably for the bathroom, and one for the closet.

Baekhyun leaves to explore those doors, and Chanyeol is left gaping at the luxurious room alone. He has never seen such a room before. He had expected vampires to prefer the dark for their daytime slumber, but all he has seen so far is light, even in the private living areas. There are lights and candles everywhere, and a big fireplace on the wall, illuminating the nooks and crannies of the entire room better than natural sunlight ever could. The ceiling is discreetly carved around the edges, some of those carvings flowing down the wall and curling all around the fireplace, where his father’s fire burns on a piece of steal ironwork. Chanyeol vaguely notices that the groups of flowers are the same as the ones his mother plants in the garden –she has always mixed the practical needs of the plants with her aesthetic in a unique, distinct way. Maybe this is one way his father honors and remembers her.

The rest of the room is made of polished wood and red velvet fabrics, crystal candleholders, rare trinkets and golden-gilded details. The room has been prepared for them while they were still outside; the sheets seem freshly ironed, there is a plate of fruit and carafes of water on a dresser table, and there are bouquets of flowers adorning the vases. They have tried to accommodate them as they could best despite the short notice, considering there is no need for food or water here, and the flowers are a rare commodity underground. Chanyeol walks closer to the fire to observe its whispers; it feels so extraordinary. He usually plays with his own fire or speaks to any fire – _this_ fire is owned by someone else, however. It’s very different –it’s as if he is looking at another person.

“Chanyeol” Baekhyun calls from the closet, his voice echoing a bit. He emerges from the auxiliary room just when Chanyeol turns to look at him. “They have left a note for us –and some clothes, I think” he says, coming closer with a piece of white paper in his hands. He has already read it, so he gives it to Chanyeol instantly, and the latter inspects its looped script.

There is a formal greeting and some helpful information written down for them, about the food and hot water for instance, or how they should call if they need anything. There is also an invitation to attend a banquet tonight, which seems to be a formal event. They have prepared _proper attire_ for them, and then the time and place is marked down. Reading through the lines, the note is friendly and accommodating –and it seems their presence is required at the banquet, which might have been organized before their arrival for irrelevant purposes, but it has turned into a first introduction, a notice of their presence amongst the community, certainly with pride from her ladyship, the Countess. They are theoretically allowed to refuse, as guests, but it might and _will_ be seen as a sign of hostility or contempt, which they obviously wouldn’t want.

“We should get dressed” he tells Baekhyun, folding the paper tidily. Baekhyun frowns. “Don’t worry, we have time” he reassures him, pressing his index finger between Baekhyun’s eyebrows and smoothing out the wrinkles. It seems vampires like to do things slow and languidly, in spite of being naturally fast, so there is plenty of time to preen themselves before the gathering they’ve been invited to. He wants to bask into this quiet interlude they’re given; he feels lighter after meeting his father with such success –and after his father has taken such a liking to Baekhyun, if he is honest. It went better than he had hoped.

“It’s not that” Baekhyun mumbles, glancing at the closet door. “You should see the clothes” he decides, grabbing Chanyeol’s wrist and leading him there.

Chanyeol is curious as they enter the room, which is smaller than the main one, but still comfortably spacious. The layered racks are full of silken and wooden clothes hangers, from which textured, expensive garments flow. There are drawers around a full length mirror on one side, and a tall shoe closet beside them. Aside from everything else, in the middle of the room there are the clothes meant for them, tidily placed and folded, with all other necessary wearable items laid around them, from clean underwear to polished shoes. It all seems so convenient, but Baekhyun is rightfully troubled.

“We are wearing _dresses_.” Chanyeol observes, a deadpan expression appearing on his face in the mirror. _Well, that’s a first._

“Yes, I think so” Baekhyun agrees dubiously beside him.

The _proper attire_ for the evening seems to translate to actual dresses for some reason; Chanyeol hasn’t had the chance to observe the vampires’ dress code of choice, but everyone he has seen so far –with the exception of women– wear pants, so he assumed it is similar to the outside world. These are undoubtedly handpicked and exceptionally sewn floor-length gowns for them, however. It can’t be a mistake; even their size must have been taken into account, one of the garments looking shorter than the other. It seems Chanyeol and Baekhyun will have to go a little out of their comfort zone.

“It might be a little different but…” Chanyeol shrugs his shoulders casually to finish his statement. It’s different from their usual, but it should do for one night –and if they find it too uncomfortable, they can ask for different clothes tomorrow, or pick something from his father’s closet; he was thrilled Chanyeol and Baekhyun would be staying in his former rooms. Chanyeol picks up the longer, black dress, holding it at a good distance to examine it; it has some laces and no sleeves, which is probably why there is a black, long-sleeved shirt left beside it. “I’ll change first” he decides, part curious to see what he will look like in those clothes. “Wait outside and don’t let anyone in” he reminds Baekhyun, ushering him out, guiding him by the shoulders. For unknown reasons, Baekhyun sighs as he walks to the bed and Chanyeol closes the door behind him for privacy.

It takes an embarrassing while to figure out the laces, before he presents himself to Baekhyun fully clothed and covered from neck to toe. His dress is pitch black, from the collar around his neck to the folds of the skirt, and it is made of a soft but opaque fabric. His sleeves are made of a slightly more sheer material, his flesh outlined through the black fabric, which is wide enough to flow around his arms, and balloon around his wrists. The skirt has lush folds but the upper half of the dress is corseted in a way, the laces tying it together running from the hem of the vest around his waist, up his chest to his neck; it makes his body look more graceful than it really is.

“You look good in that” Baekhyun whispers when Chanyeol emerges from the closet, with an unnecessary, grand flare, to dispel any awkward mood. They will have to spend their time outside this room being very careful and composed; perhaps they should make the most of it while they have private time and space. Chanyeol knows he is sporting a dumb smile, but Baekhyun’s expression is unreadable. His eyes are wide and his heart rate speeds up just a tiny bit –it gives him away, and Chanyeol feels a little flattered. He smoothes out his clothes sincerely as he walks closer to meet Baekhyun halfway; wearing a dress doesn’t feel bad after all.

“These must be very expensive” he says absentmindedly, while Baekhyun walks around him in a circle to have a closer look. The fabrics are nice and soft, the craftsmanship is impressive and detailed –it even makes Chanyeol’s lanky figure look desirable, which means this dress is a small miracle. Even though they came unannounced and uninvited, they are being treated with exceptional care, generosity and kindness; it makes Chanyeol wonder at the influence his father has –and subsequently he does, too. He is practically royalty.

A small finger touches Chanyeol’s stomach and he involuntarily flinches a little in surprise, snapping out of his daze.

“It’s soft” Baekhyun mumbles, eyes following his finger as it slowly traces down a ridge of Chanyeol’s abdomen over the fabric. It tickles a little, not just on the skin. Chanyeol fights down a blush, biting on his lip to keep himself from squirming. _Why does this feel so intimate out of the blue?_

“Why don’t you go change too?” he suggests, sounding a little hurried, but it’s too subtle to be noticed. He needs to put some distance between them though, or he will diminish the distance for good. Baekhyun nods, retracts his finger and leaves, thankfully without glancing at Chanyeol’s very red face.

While Baekhyun changes, Chanyeol uses that time to calm himself, sitting on the edge of the bed and facing the door to know when Baekhyun comes out. He doesn’t understand why his body has these strange reactions sometimes. Baekhyun is nice, and Chanyeol will admit that he could easily develop feelings for him, but he _doesn’t_ have feelings, he can’t. Baekhyun is his companion on this journey, his friend, his anchor, the voice of life and joy to his deaf ears. And he is to Baekhyun a companion too, a precious friend, a protector, the eyes that show him the world. They are close, they touch and hug and share everything, they exchange a mutually much needed _affection_. But when they are so close, there is no room for lust or such intimacy; it would drastically change and perhaps taint the sense of comfort they find in each other. So, for the sake of their heartfelt friendship and if Chanyeol has respect for any feeling he _could_ ever have for Baekhyun, he has to suppress these lustful and territorial urges. They are not _mates_.

“Um, I have a problem?” Baekhyun’s slightly worried voice cuts through Chanyeol’s thoughts. He spots Baekhyun’s small head popping up from behind the half-opened door, the rest of his body hidden; the picture is oddly familiar.

“What’s the matter?” Chanyeol asks, his brow quirking curiously, with the intension to help, like all the previous times Baekhyun has found trouble in the outside world. “Are you having trouble with laces? Is your dress too big or small?”

“It’s…not that” Baekhyun mumbles timidly, averting his eyes from Chanyeol’s gaze. He looks a little embarrassed, ears burning red and eyes flying around uneasily. Chanyeol can’t help but wonder what might be wrong with the dress; Baekhyun is not one to feel easily embarrassed. Actually, he usually doesn’t mind his body much, at least when he and Chanyeol are alone –his cuddling proximity at nights being a prime example. “My dress is…” he starts, making a vague gesture with his hand, which Chanyeol naturally can’t decipher. Baekhyun sighs, seeing there is no way to avoid whatever is making him uncomfortable. “It’s indecent.” he mumbles through shy lips at long last.

“It is?” Chanyeol questions, his eyebrows pulling a little closer in bewilderment. It seems the vampires went through a lot of trouble to please them, and an indecent dress doesn’t fit in that context. Maybe Baekhyun is not wearing it correctly? Perhaps there is a button that holds everything together and Baekhyun can’t clip it himself. “Can you show me? Only if you are comfortable” Chanyeol offers, making sure he doesn’t pressure Baekhyun into anything –he’d rather Baekhyun wore his own clothes to the banquet, dress code be damned, than him feeling uncomfortable in any way, even if it’d be just showing himself in that dress to Chanyeol.

Baekhyun bites his lower lip in hesitation, his eyes searching Chanyeol’s benevolent expression. He fidgets a little behind the door. “Okay” he says softly, making a small step.

When his body comes into view, Chanyeol only has more questions. _Why is it indecent?_ The dress is white and long enough to touch the floor. It covers from Baekhyun’s neck to his toes, and it has long sleeves that almost reach his fingers. It has no laces or buttons or anything askew; on the contrary, it drapes loosely over Baekhyun’s body in a single solid piece, so much you can’t even discern his figure very easily under the wide expanse of expensive fabric. It looks like the most conservative dress one could make to hide in it, far from anything suspicious. Baekhyun still looks self-conscious, however, playing with his fingers and keeping his eyes on them intently as if they are something interesting, to distract himself from his embarrassment.

“Baek, I don’t understand why you think your dress is indecent” he admits, honestly perplexed. Baekhyun drops his hands, putting an end to the games of his fingers. He looks defeated, a sigh leaving his pouting lips; Chanyeol would hug him and pat his hair for comfort, but he doesn’t dare go closer while Baekhyun feels uncomfortable with himself.

“Just look” Baekhyun says resignedly and his cheeks blush bright pink, as he turns to the side and reluctantly lifts his arms out of the way.

 _Now_ Chanyeol can see how the dress is indecent. His guess was more accurate than he thought; the dress _is_ two large, loose pieces of fabric, one front and one back, attached to one another at the neck and shoulders, around the separately tailored, long sleeves and little way under that. But the rest of the sides are split open, held together by two tiny pieces of golden fabric. The entire side of Baekhyun’s naked body can be seen –and yes, that is somewhat indecent. Decadent. Immoral. Thrilling. Chanyeol’s eyes glaze over the sight, a hunger he promised not to feel just minutes ago now flaring in his gut. The dress shows Baekhyun’s ribs, the smooth, fair skin freckled with the cutest moles. Chanyeol’s eyes travel down, counting his bones under the skin and his moles that make him so flawless, then they drop further down, noticing the shadow at the tapering of his waist, and then the luscious curve of his hip jutting out, the line wavering into the strong, ample lines of his bare legs, to the tips of his toes, wiggling on the carpet.

“I looked everywhere, it doesn’t have pants, or underwear; it’s supposed to be worn like this, b-but…I can’t wear it like this” Baekhyun complains cutely, his flush painting over his nose, to his cheeks, to his ears. His puppy eyes look at Chanyeol desperately, begging for help in this uncomfortable situation. Chanyeol could have kept staring for hours, to be honest, but Baekhyun needs his attention in a different way at the moment, so he has to gather his wits and solve this problem –besides, he doesn’t like the idea of other people seeing Baekhyun like this.

“Why don’t you try wearing your pants underneath it?” Chanyeol suggests, idly playing with the fire of a nearby candle –it keeps his thoughts away from…other things. Baekhyun lowers his arms and presses them to his sides again, hiding what he can. “The dress is white too, so I don’t think that would be a problem. The fabric might be different, but that’s hardly noticeable. You won’t be as _exposed_ , so it’ll be more comfortable” he suggests optimistically. The shorter remains pouting, his eyes wide and thoughtful as they stare at Chanyeol without really seeing him. He eventually nods and backtracks to the closet to change; once the door closes, Chanyeol lets out a sigh of relief and falls back on the bed, closing his eyes.

He needs to rein in those feelings. Preferably before Baekhyun picks up anything through their emotional connection, because that would be awkward and embarrassing –he doesn’t even want to think of the possibility. He can’t think like that, he can’t feel like that, he can’t want Baekhyun like _that_.

Not a minute later, Baekhyun comes out of the room, his mood completely different and infinitely uplifted. “It’s much better, it doesn’t even look bad” he chirps, walking to the middle of the room. Chanyeol sits up to see him, and sure enough his white pants look more appropriate worn under the dress, covering anything compromising while being discreet. Baekhyun looks much more comfortable in his clothes now, and he keeps twisting his body and flailing his arms, trying to peek through the gaps of the dress from all angles, giggling and squirming, doing this funny dance.

He looks like an excited child, stumbling around looking small, and Chanyeol can feel his lips pulling into a smile. Baekhyun is beautiful in simplicity, as if he is made to shine from within. His charm is always so effortless and refined, showing at the edges of his every move and expression, in the way he looks over his shoulder with a smile, in the line that connects his bent elbow to his slender wrist, in the tinkling sound of his lighthearted laugh and the tiny wrinkles around his eyesmiles. In those moments, Chanyeol forgets everything that makes him sad and worried; the darkness inside him lights up and he doesn’t want to let go.

~~~

There is a small knock on the door and Baekhyun jumps down, crouching behind the bed, fangs and claws drawn out, ready to fight. His body is tense as a string about to snap, his heart is beating fast, a growl is boiling in his chest, his body swinging minutely in its feral stance, gaining momentum. The fire flickering in the fireplace is the only source of light, all candles blown out since they left the room earlier for that fateful banquet, and Baekhyun hastily blinks away his weak tears as his pupils keep shifting to find perfect focus, prepared to pounce.

It’s unlikely they followed him here, and even if they did, they probably cannot enter the room uninvited while he is staying here with Chanyeol; but he is alone now, and his mind prepares him for any kind of unforeseen, imminent danger that lurks outside of that door.

The door cracks open slowly after a moment of stillness, a streak of light instantly slicing through the room on the opposite, dark side; Baekhyun hisses, low and threateningly at the shadow moving into his sanctuary, one breath away from jumping on the bed and then leaping for its throat.

“Baek, it’s just me” a deep voice calls, laced with uncertainty, rattling strangely into Baekhyun’s bones –but he doesn’t relent just yet, instead hissing louder. He won’t let anyone close; he won’t let them touch him again. His heartbeat echoes frantically in his ears as the tall shadow walks through the door, crossing the threshold completely, but it stays glued on the wall, facing Baekhyun. He rocks his body more intently, the muscles warm and flexible. The door closes as slowly as it opened, pushed by one long limb, the light disappearing with a click of the lock, sealing the two of them in, separated from the rest of the world. Baekhyun snaps his jaws at the intruder warningly.

“Baekhyun, please” the deep voice pleads sadly, coating Baekhyun’s ears with honey and he shakes his head to rid of the sensation; he needs to stay focused. The man by the door has his arms raised in surrender, but they could grab him and drag him to the vultures in unsuspecting time; he knows of sweet pretences now. “May I come closer?” he asks quietly; Baekhyun’s watchful gaze finally focuses on the man’s eyes, which are wide and obviously uneasy.

It’s as if a switch flips inside Baekhyun suddenly, his vigilance dying, his hostility slipping through his lips in a horrified gasp.

_It’s Chanyeol. What am I doing?_

Chanyeol doesn’t dare come closer while Baekhyun is poised to kill the first living thing that comes near him, but his wide eyes express his concern and worry, their burgundy color visibly swirling in discomfort, even in the murky shadows across the room. Baekhyun’s heart melts hot in his chest at the evidence of Chanyeol’s agonizing distress because of him, his different eyes trembling indecisively, lips still agape, body paralyzed in a suspended state of mind. Small fires start springing gracefully on top of the candles, slowly spreading in the room and bathing their surroundings in light –certainly Chanyeol’s doing. Baekhyun can see him now; how he is pale in fright, biting his lip anxiously, his body frozen in place. And his eyes keep swirling and swirling, the most honest concern painted across his features.

Baekhyun curls his fists around handfuls of fabric on the sheets, his claws retracting and his body loosening and slumping like a dropped puppet against the bed.

“ _Chanyeol_ ” he howls mournfully from his wounded heart, his eyes quick to blur with tears which burn against his cheeks. In just one word he means to enclose an apology, a plea, shame and weakness, but it comes out like a desperate cry for help. Baekhyun feels disappointed in himself; he has behaved terribly, turning aggressive and snapping his fangs at the only person who would never hurt him. But he needs Chanyeol; however undeserving of Chanyeol’s care he might be, he needs him close, because he is the only person who can fix him.

Chanyeol looks torn, hesitant to approach Baekhyun, even though he is worried sick, and it kills Baekhyun to know he is responsible for his cautiousness. He doesn’t read the softer hues of Chanyeol’s expression, connecting his caution to Baekhyun’s riled up state; he has kept his distance not for his safety, but to ensure Baekhyun won’t feel uncomfortable or threatened anymore.

“I won’t try to trap you or hurt you; please, trust me” Chanyeol’s voice is steady and calm, deep and sweet, wrapping around Baekhyun soothingly. He is giving Baekhyun a sincere look, making a small step closer and asking for his trust, but he already has it, and Baekhyun nods frantically, sniffling loudly. Chanyeol crosses the rest of the distance in a heartbeat, stopping completely still beside the bed, and Baekhyun stumbles on his ruined clothes as he tries to puddle across the mattress, blindly and desperately reaching for Chanyeol.

Chanyeol remains unmoving like an attentive statue, trying to appear as harmless as possible, while Baekhyun resembles a clumsy, tear-blinded bundle of sobs, tumbling towards the taller like an avalanche. He can feel their links hauling him closer to Chanyeol with an almost physical force, and he flings himself in Chanyeol’s chest, his arms wrapping around the taller’s broad shoulders helplessly to hook him in place. Two strong limbs reflexively circle his waist to support him, and he presses his face against Chanyeol’s warm chest, his tears staining the taller’s black clothes.

“Are you hurt?” Chanyeol asks, his voice quiet but evidently frantic. Baekhyun shakes his head, inadvertently rubbing his face against the soft fabric which has Chanyeol’s scent, and once he inhales it, he feels some of the tension draining from his body. He remains glued to Chanyeol, however, eyes tightly shut and dripping tears endlessly, his fingers clutching Chanyeol’s shoulders desperately. Chanyeol sighs long in relief above his head, his entire posture changing, and Baekhyun scrambles to press himself against the taller body to fit in between every curve and loosened line. Chanyeol’s warm hands trail up Baekhyun’s spine comfortingly and thread in his hair, cradling his head tenderly when the smaller rests his forehead against Chanyeol’s collarbones and weeps brokenly. “I’m sorry, Baekhyun. I’m so sorry” he whispers, kissing the top of Baekhyun’s hair, his voice cracking due to his own tears of remorse.

It started as a peaceful, promising night; dressed in their expensive gowns, Chanyeol and Baekhyun were escorted by their personal guards to the grand square, where the banquet was taking place. Abundant light and colorful decorations were hanging over the entire room, music filling the air with dancing footsteps echoing to the beat, vampires in gorgeous gowns twirling and celebrating, so lively that their intimidating fangs and claws could go unnoticed. It was a cheerful celebration, and the pair was welcomed warmly after a grand announcement; Baekhyun wasn’t feeling entirely comfortable with so many eyes, awed, curious and dangerous ones, examining them, but he gradually managed to ignore the stares and the awkwardness of people respectfully bowing down to him and Chanyeol as they passed.

They were an attraction for the public, guests of honor, the Countess never leaving their side and doing her best to entertain them –Baekhyun has to admit, his initial impression of her was indefinite, but it changed after what Chanyeol’s father told them; he finally understood why he feels so threatened in this place. But the charade gave away nothing suspicious, enveloping the guests in cheer. Not everyone was allowed to speak with them, of course; in fact, very few noblemen and noblewomen approached them –with the Countess’ approval– and the conversations were general and friendly. Baekhyun still preferred to remain silent whenever he could, staying right beside Chanyeol and keeping an eye on the crowd.

When someone asked Baekhyun to dance, it was unexpected; he politely refused, but the man and the Countess insisted, the latter thrilled with the idea, asking Chanyeol to follow her to the dance floor as well; Baekhyun hated both suggestions, but they can only refuse so much before they are considered impolite, and they need the Countess’ favor to meet with Chanyeol’s father. It would be just a short, slow song; Chanyeol seemed reluctant even so, but they agreed. Baekhyun’s partner was a cultured, beautiful nobleman, whose charm he might have appreciated if the man weren’t flirting so blatantly with him. Chanyeol was dancing with the Countess a few steps further, not very enthusiastically, keeping his distance from her, even though she didn’t seem to mind, enjoying herself and the attention from other couples. Baekhyun had started growing tired of giving polite rejections, pretending to be deaf to more straightforwardly seductive comments, all for the sake of one smooth dance that would guarantee their next meeting with Chanyeol’s father. But then, he caught sight of the Countess flirting with Chanyeol in front of everyone and he felt like such a fool; even worse, the next thing he felt was a foreign hand slipping into his dress.

He was aghast; one brief moment of diverted attention cost him the entire night. He flinched away, downright appalled, and struggled out of the man’s firm grip on him, his frail dress ripping in the process, exposing his side completely. It wasn’t a big difference from before, only two ribbons missing, but he felt revolted and, frankly, scared, when he looked at the nobleman and he seemed entertained. What right do those people think they have over him? How could they touch him without his permission and force their filthy hands on his skin? Why would it seem entertaining to them if Baekhyun was violated in some way?

Chanyeol’s father had been right. He is a toy to them, a passive ragdoll anyone can use as they please, without having to ask permission from anyone.

It took less than two heartbeats for a small commotion to spread around them; judging eyes looked at Baekhyun, calling him indecent, rude, an impostor. No one cared for his hurt feelings or his safety, no one dared accuse the nobleman or cared to even ask for an explanation; if that’s what life in the outside world feels like without Chanyeol, Baekhyun never wanted it.

Chanyeol appeared beside him in an instant, the Countess hot on his heels, and he remembers the music stopped. Chanyeol held Baekhyun by the shoulders and asked him what happened, if he was okay, but the shorter heard everything distantly, his vision turning hazy and his senses choking him. He couldn’t respond to Chanyeol in any way, standing like a disgraced statue, his eyes red with tears which slowly and unwillingly escaped his eyes. In that moment, all he could think of was the dirty feeling spreading inside him, and he hated the man, he hated the vampires, he hated himself.

He remembers like a dream, Chanyeol asking for a coat to cover Baekhyun, but none was found. He remembers Chanyeol’s arm wrapping around his shoulder protectively and the menacing glare Chanyeol sent everyone else. The fires in the room trembled and everyone cowered in fear; even the Countess distanced herself from the two men. Chanyeol spoke only to the Countess, his tone unfriendly and reprimanding; Baekhyun now realizes it could have been detrimental, even though all Chanyeol did was to protect him from everyone else. Baekhyun was less coherent while Chanyeol led him away from the scene, the crowd parting out of their way in eerie silence; the nobleman who offended him was left to the Countess’ wrath, and Baekhyun honestly doesn’t want to know what might happen to him.

Chanyeol’s voice asking questions to the guards who led them back to their room was buzzing in Baekhyun’s ears, his feet leading him mechanically, his eyes blind to the world. And suddenly, for no actual reason, he remembered standing in the midst of condemnatory glares, and he had to run. He saw the familiar door of their room and he wanted to be safe, his tears flowing desperately, his heart beating like crazy, his vampire instincts taking over. He shifted and run into the room, feeling hunted and unsafe, and he banged the door behind him forcefully, barricading himself inside the room and preparing to fight for his life. That’s how Chanyeol found him.

And Baekhyun still feels foul, and small, and unsafe, and very guilty to have lost sight of Chanyeol in the midst of it all. Every bitter sentiment that he has had today is mingling in an ugly web inside him, which only Chanyeol can untangle; his presence, his support, his kindness. His bonds with Chanyeol, now stronger as he holds him, slowly but steadily unravel the darkness smothering Baekhyun and dispose of it through his tears; it’s a little painful, and he wails against Chanyeol, his warm hands cradling his head and stroking his hair, as he whispers how sorry he is, how responsible he feels, how coming here was a mistake, how he is not going to leave Baekhyun out of his sight ever again.

“Why are you not holding me?” Baekhyun hiccups pleadingly, pressing his cheek more firmly against Chanyeol’s chest; he is clinging to him almost hysterically, and he wants Chanyeol’s touch, he wants comfort and protection, he wants Chanyeol to be his only touch.

“You keep squirming; I thought you didn’t want physical contact after…” the taller trails off, his deep voice darkening and then fading in uncertainty, avoiding to mention their unfortunate experience. Baekhyun loosens his bruising grip on Chanyeol and slowly releases him, staying close but no longer flush against him. He has been kneeling on the bed, so it’s not surprising that his legs give out, sore from the uncomfortable position, and he ends up sitting on his haunches on the bed in front of Chanyeol. He blinks up at the taller, feeling a little lost and adrift without his anchor. Chanyeol is being so heartwarmingly considerate, respecting Baekhyun, but he needs to understand one thing.

Baekhyun wordlessly reaches out for one of Chanyeol’s hands, which had fallen limp on his sides. Chanyeol doesn’t flinch or resist, letting Baekhyun do whatever he wants, his burgundy eyes boring into Baekhyun’s, carefully trying to guess what he feels and still looking a little concerned and remorseful. Baekhyun opens Chanyeol’s palm and presses it against his own cheek, holding the warm hand in place for a few moments, leaning into the touch, his eyes never leaving Chanyeol’s. Chanyeol’s expression softens to tender sadness, his thumb stroking over Baekhyun’s cheekbone affectionately. Trust and intimacy combine in a brilliant loop inside Baekhyun, and he is sure Chanyeol knows how he feels; he can sense his emotions through their connection.

“I’m sorry I let this happen to you” Chanyeol apologizes quietly, his eyes turning a little glassy. Baekhyun silently accepts the apology with a soft look, his fingers catching a stray tear right from the tip of Chanyeol’s lashes. He couldn’t have known. Chanyeol’s lips curl in a small, fond smile, and he slowly drops his hand from Baekhyun’s face. “I’ll go change so we can go to sleep, how about it?” he proposes gently, and Baekhyun can only nod in agreement, feeling very exhausted after a long day that has lasted longer than usual, added to the previous nights of poor sleep on the train and at the human town.

But when Chanyeol takes a step back, Baekhyun panics, their connections jostling him, as if Chanyeol accidentally tugged on one of his limbs. In a flash of incoherent thoughts that seemingly make perfect sense –as it commonly happens to tired and scared individuals– he realizes that Chanyeol will have to leave him and go to a different room to change. Baekhyun’s hand shoots faster than lightning to grab Chanyeol’s shoulder and prevent him from making another step.

“No, don’t leave” he pleads, his voice nervous and breathless, dismay leaking through every word. Chanyeol gives him a confused look, but Baekhyun is far lost in dread, and he becomes hysteric, not realizing he is not making any sense. “Don’t leave, change here; I’ll help you!” he offers desperately, his fingers automatically latching on Chanyeol’s body and tangling in the laces at the front of his dress, pulling them loose and undoing them a little clumsily, trying to make it fast. In his head, he doesn’t even register that he is trying to undress Chanyeol.

“Baekhyun, wait, wait” Chanyeol’s voice is patient, even if it’s a little embarrassed, and Baekhyun looks up at him. His red eyes are wide and his cheeks are dusted pink, his lips pursed shyly; he looks flustered, as anyone would be if someone else tried to strip them unceremoniously all of a sudden. Baekhyun only then realizes what he has been doing so shamelessly, and his eyes widen at the consequences, his numb fingers falling to his lap. Undressing Chanyeol is not…appropriate. Why didn’t Chanyeol stop him? Why didn’t he flinch away or call him a bit more sternly? It’s obvious Baekhyun is out of his mind tonight, why does Chanyeol still trust him?

“I’m sorry, I-I don’t know what came over me” Baekhyun says in a small voice, lowering his gaze guiltily, and finally feeling embarrassed for his indecent actions. His eyes fall on Chanyeol’s half-undone dress front, the laces tangled and pulled irregularly, the soft fabric of the dress parted and showing glimpses of a black, transparent shirt, covering Chanyeol’s firm chest. He closes his eyes, scandalized with himself, pinching his own fingers in retaliation and hoping to disappear. Why did Chanyeol let him go so far?

Baekhyun expects a rightful reprimand, or perhaps a flustered dismissal of the entire situation, but he doesn’t expect fingers pushing his fringe aside gently and moist lips pressing a protective, reassuring kiss on his forehead.

“Lie down and I’ll be right back” Chanyeol says calmly, and he dashes to the closet room before Baekhyun has a chance to see his expression.

Baekhyun moves slowly on the bed, feeling progressively heavier in every fiber of his body, the seconds ticking slowly without Chanyeol. He picks one side of the bed, pulling the covers from the corner and tossing them as far as his remaining strength allows; it’s not an impressive result, barely decent. He sighs and crawls under the soft sheets, his head sinking in the pillow; it’s comfortable but it feels empty. He stretches his feet, trying to relax his ankles, small wounds from the shoes rubbing against the material of the sheets uncomfortably. He can hardly feel his legs, his cold fingers pressing against his sore eyes, discovering some leftover dewdrops between his lashes. The bed is perfect but he can’t get comfortable at all.

Soon enough, Chanyeol emerges from the closet, dressed in his nightclothes, hair ruffled and eyes sleepy, looking more like himself than his father. Baekhyun will admit he thought Chanyeol was dazzling in that dress, it flowed on him like second skin, to his body and his aura, but he prefers this side of the man; the pure, comfortable, simple one. Chanyeol hurries to join Baekhyun in bed, some candle lights extinguishing in his pass, obeying to his will. The room gains a dreamy ambiance, the fire burning softly and painting over the shadows with crimson and golden colors.

Chanyeol doesn’t even attempt to stay on his side on the enormous bed; he settles in the middle instead, holding one arm open for Baekhyun. The smaller feels his heart thaw contentedly at the gesture, the prospect of sleeping in warmth and safety next to his favorite person in the world alleviating everything bad that has happened today by a fraction. He scoots closer, nestling his head against Chanyeol’s chest and turning on his side, so that he can wrap one arm across Chanyeol’s stomach. Chanyeol tangles their legs and closes his arms around Baekhyun, creating the perfect small cage to sleep. He is so warm, and Baekhyun relaxes against him with a sigh, his eyes droopy as he gazes at the fire which burns on iron in the fireplace.

“Sorry” Chanyeol mumbles when his fingers graze Baekhyun’s exposed ribs; the smaller hasn’t bothered changing out of the ruined dress, he doesn’t see a point in doing so. Baekhyun hums.

“I don’t mind” he murmurs back, nuzzling Chanyeol’s sternum. He really doesn’t mind, even after everything that has happened, even if it had never happened at all. Chanyeol’s touch is always precious to Baekhyun, his fingers writing songs and painting flowers wherever they touch; the contact on his skin is comfortable, warm, deliciously tender and deeply affectionate, leaving a lingering imprint behind. “Will you sing me to sleep?” Baekhyun asks in a small voice, words shy and muffled behind his lips. Chanyeol’s heart beats slightly faster in his chest, Baekhyun can hear it.

“Are you sure?” he retorts, and Baekhyun nods against him. Chanyeol’s deep, velvet voice would fit perfectly with his mood; a little lazy lullaby by the fire would help them both forget the difficult day they’ve had, and sleep a little lighter.

Chanyeol starts a song, slow and almost whispered in parts. His fingers keep the rhythm by absentmindedly stroking against the naked skin on Baekhyun’s ribs, even though Chanyeol himself probably doesn’t realize the patterns he is tracing over and over, raising pleasant shivers across Baekhyun’s chest and stomach. Baekhyun smiles to himself, letting Chanyeol’s voice fill every nook and cranny of his mind. Chanyeol sings of crystal starlight flowing into his hands and a diamond fire lighting the moon, of a sparkling night that never ends and a promise to guard his dreams.

~~~

Chanyeol walks down the hallway which has become familiar by now, feeling both physically and mentally exhausted. What is considered a day for them has changed drastically down here; there is no more sun or moon to mark the time, and Chanyeol oddly reminisces being awoken by sunlight in the morning when he slept in the open forest. Here, the only way to discern night from day is the sleeping patterns of the inhabitants; there are some deceptive cases, like his father and the Countess, but it’s generally considered a given that, when most people are asleep and the carved maze of the mountains is quiet and empty, the sun is shining in the outside world.

Even so, that is not the definition of a day for Chanyeol and Baekhyun here, because they don’t sleep and wake in step with the rest. They wake when the sun is still shining in the sky, because that is the only time they are allowed to spend with his father, and then they stay awake for as long as they can into the night, dutifully attending various gatherings the Countess invites them to, before crushing for the night, bodies weary and limp against each other. It’s their fourth night with the vampires and Chanyeol feels like it’s been weeks.

In spite of his fatigue, he is thankful for the invaluable time he has spent here so far. The important and powerful, lifelong acquaintances he has made and the formal social events he has attended are the least of the experience he has gathered. Vampires like to take their time, but their minds are anything but languid; living with them means learn fast or make your first and last, fatal mistake. Chanyeol has learnt to behave among them like every bit of the nobleman he is considered, keeping his secrets with strategic deception and choosing when to speak his mind –it became strikingly apparent after the incident with Baekhyun on the first night that Chanyeol would have to do more than just cooperate with the vampires; he’d have to be one of them, and act like it. The Countess was a little reluctant when he started manifesting his individuality, escaping her control here and there, but she accepted the compromise, still ashamed of that incident involving one of her guests. Thankfully, there have been no harmful incidents since, but he is always careful.

The time he spends with his father is his ultimate objective for being here, and he makes sure to utilize it as best he can. He visits his father separately from Baekhyun; his father deemed such an arrangement would benefit them the most. As much is true for Chanyeol so far; when he is with his father, they practice his skills relentlessly, wielding fire and reading souls, which is in part responsible for his exhaustion. His father is a good teacher, and he makes sure to give him breaks, during which he talks about his life and his love of Chanyeol’s mother, asking for stories of Chanyeol’s childhood in exchange. But Chanyeol has a lot to learn, as much as possible in as little as time as possible, since the date of their departure is unclear but can’t be very far.

While Chanyeol is with his father, painstakingly learning how to read past colors and emotions, into memories and personality characteristics, Baekhyun usually stays in their room, reading books and napping. A guard is always by the door and follows him everywhere, to ensure his safety. He has gotten over the unfortunate incident of the first night for the most part, even talking twice to a tall vampire called Kris –the only evidence of his fright remain in his sleep; he is more clingy to Chanyeol, sometimes touching him –tracing the shape of his pointy ears with his fingers or sleeping completely flush against him– and other times asking to be touched –Chanyeol usually sleeps with a hand on Baekhyun’s back under his shirt, or he runs his hands up and down Baekhyun’s spine soothingly. It’s important to him that Baekhyun feels safe.

Tonight –or, more accurately, today–, Chanyeol is on his way back to their shared room after another dinner; vampires like their meat rare, and that is all they have, with some wine and blood, served in flute glasses. Baekhyun excused himself earlier than Chanyeol managed to disentangle himself from the nets of curious patrons of his rank, and he returned to their room a while ago, accompanied by the guard and Kris; Chanyeol feels strangely about this tall, blond man being around Baekhyun, but he can trust him not to hurt the shorter. He is distantly related to the Countess through a marriage, if Chanyeol has understood correctly –even though he has never had the pleasure to meet the Count–, and the woman wouldn’t make the same mistake twice; Kris is like a second guard for Baekhyun, only he is more refined and occasionally entertains him with conversation.

He wonders if Kris has ever tried to charm and covet Baekhyun whenever Chanyeol is not looking, but his possessive thoughts are interrupted by the short man walking beside him.

“It’s a beautiful night to be so quiet” he says, axinite eyes gentle, a playful, heart-shaped smile playing on his lips. He is at least a head shorter than Chanyeol, but his voice is also deep and his eyes even wider than Chanyeol’s own. He is not very old for a vampire, but he belongs to one of the families his father mentioned, the one controlling the earth. Chanyeol supposes he is a very important member of this layer, since it is all built underground. His prominent social position should also be the reason why he had the spirit to ask Chanyeol to accompany him to his room –most of the other vampires would never dare.

“I’m sorry” Chanyeol apologizes politely, too drained to put a smile on his lips “My days here are long and tiring” he explains vaguely; another common excuse is that he is not used to the reversed sleeping schedule, or that the unusual amount of blood he has been consuming here is making him feel drowsy. He can’t exactly admit to the rest the real reason why he is so easily tired, or why he feels so nervous whenever Baekhyun is not around. The man walking leisurely beside him sends him a conspiratorial smile.

“Someone like you would have responsibilities, I can imagine” he says cryptically. Chanyeol opts not to respond in any way, keeping his calm composure –a wise trick he learnt from his mother. If anyone can guess his lessons concerning his powers with his father, it would be a man like this one, who must have had similar lessons at some point in his life. Chanyeol won’t admit to it all the same; no one needs to know, especially because no one will ever forget. Living amongst people who will live indefinitely, remembering every breathing second they’ve spent around you, tends to put things into a different perspective.

Fortunately, they have already reached his and Baekhyun’s room, a perfect excuse for his escape.

“Thank you for walking me to my room, Sir Do” Chanyeol says civilly when they stop beside the familiar, heavy door, looking down at the man in a relatively neutral way. He has been trying not to show any sign of favoritism towards anyone –and it’s not hard to do so, since he doesn’t really trust anyone. Sir Do shows a signature heart smile.

“Oh please, it’s just Kyungsoo” he dismisses casually, not for the first time today, but Chanyeol makes it a point to ignore such informalities when proposed to him. With nothing further to say and unable to think of anything else he ought to say, Chanyeol nods politely and starts reaching for the door, hoping to see Baekhyun right behind it as soon as possible. “Young master Park” Sir Do stops him before he touches the handle. Chanyeol is a little tired for games of procrastination, but he allows it for the sake of the other man’s lineage. He turns around expectantly, eyebrows raised on his forehead. Sir Do looks up at him with an open expression, even though his eyes are hiding secrets; Chanyeol could read them like his father has taught him, if he weren’t so tired at the moment. “I just wanted to say…I think you are a fascinating man. And I would love to spend some more time with you” he compliments, his speech twisting around a hidden meaning that Chanyeol can’t bother with. He notices the way the man fidgets with his fingers; it reminds him of Baekhyun. Chanyeol inwardly scoffs; he swears, to these people, it’s like a game to imitate Baekhyun’s mannerisms if they can, when they are flirting with Chanyeol.

“Perhaps tomorrow” he dismisses shortly, his words purposely vague. He can’t make any promises, and he wouldn’t want to. Sir Do’s smile turns a little more flirtatious.

“Why waste such a beautiful night?” he purrs, gaze slightly hooded, sultry and dark. He knows how to be tempting, his voice dropping an octave lower, his body language inviting. He is not unattractive by any means, his features just on the balance of manly and charming and his manners elegant, but Chanyeol is not charmed. Others have tried before Sir Do, even the Countess, and even though Sir Do is not bad at this game, he will unfortunately have to lose. Chanyeol is never enticed into stolen moments of intimacy and secret affairs, perhaps because his father warned him from the start, and he chooses to trust only Baekhyun close to him.

“What do you mean?” he fakes ignorance, just in case it discourages the man from making further advances. It doesn’t seem to be working; Sir Do only smiles knowingly, certain of his skill in seducing Chanyeol, and makes a step closer.

“My rooms are not much further; perhaps you’d be interested in a small _tour_?” he proposes shamelessly, licking his smiling lips, his brown eyes lingering on Chanyeol’s lips. Chanyeol is sure that a ‘tour’ would consist only of a thorough introduction and subsequent conversance with the bed.

“Baekhyun is waiting for me” he states flatly, pointedly ignoring all innuendoes in Sir Do’s words; it is such dubious statements that make everyone believe he and Baekhyun are mates, but it matters little to both of them if they can stay out of harm’s way. Besides, it is true that Baekhyun is waiting for him; he won’t be able to sleep before Chanyeol returns to their room safely –and joins him in bed to warm him up. Sir Do’s eyes harden a little at the mention of Baekhyun, but he makes great effort to maintain his saccharine, lust-tinted expression.

“We won’t be long” he whispers in a provocatively guilty way, glancing up at Chanyeol’s eyes meaningfully before his eyes return to Chanyeol’s lips, looking as if he is imagining how to devour them –alongside Chanyeol’s soul. He is one step away from tiptoeing to kiss him, his breath fanning over Chanyeol’s clothes and neck. He boldly touches Chanyeol’s forearm with his pointer finger, drawing shapes over Chanyeol’s black suit seductively, almost hypnotizingly, his desire radiating off of him in waves, luring in any innocent victim.

Chanyeol doesn’t like to be touched by anyone other than Baekhyun.

“That is not the issue” he replies coldly, his lips set in a stern, unforgiving line. The man blinks in surprise, withdrawing his finger and taking a step back. He seems to be confused over his failure to charm Chanyeol, in spite of all his physical and other merits, but he recomposes himself soon, an exaggerated miserable pout animating his lips. Chanyeol is not willing to put up with the charade any longer, or clarify the reasons of his rejection. His word should be enough; not even Sir Do would want to push his luck and ask for explanations. “Goodnight, Sir Do” his tone is final, and he turns around without further ado, escaping into the safety of his father’s old room and closing the door behind him, uncaring if anyone is still standing outside in the hallway.

No sooner has he leaned his back on the closed door, than Baekhyun jumps out of the closet and starts running to him, eyes wide and twinkling. Chanyeol sighs in relief to see him unharmed, a smile curling his tired lips; Baekhyun always has the magical power to erase all worries and sadness inside Chanyeol, flooding him with a serene, warm feeling, as if the rest of the world doesn’t exist. He just looks so childishly enthusiastic when he runs to Chanyeol like that, every time he comes into the room; Chanyeol can’t help this fluttery feeling in his chest, like a caged little bird squirming to get out. Baekhyun is always waiting for Chanyeol to return, and Chanyeol is always waiting for the moment he does.

“Chanyeol, look!” Baekhyun exclaims, grinning widely in excitement; but he is still running so fast that, for a moment, Chanyeol thinks he won’t manage to stop before they collide, and he braces himself. Baekhyun, however, comes to a perfect stop in front of Chanyeol and spins a couple of times, a garment he hadn’t been wearing at the formal dinner before swirling behind him like a cape. Chanyeol sags against the door a little in relief, watching Baekhyun spinning.

The garment he is wearing is long to his ankles and mostly black, but that’s about all that Chanyeol can discern from the twirling fabric. Baekhyun eventually stops and it settles in place around him; it’s a silken kimono robe, black, with silver and pearl embroidery, depicting flowers and vines all across the back and from the shoulders down the arms, dripping to the hem. Baekhyun is wearing it over his previous clothes, which are also black, and he can’t stop looking at it, his hair falling over his face as he looks down, flaring it from side to side to watch the embroidery tremble.

“Isn’t it pretty? The Countess sent it as another apology gift for that day” he says, his voice chirpy, as he smoothes his dainty hands down the soft front, shifting his body from side to side, looking over his shoulder and fawning over the expensive gift. The Countess has sent many such gifts to Baekhyun, including quartz combs and platinum bracelets, and Baekhyun likes wearing them for Chanyeol to see, but he rarely wears them out. He finds it exciting like exploring new toys, his feelings sparking behind the glass wall Chanyeol can see through to his heart.

Chanyeol absently thinks that Baekhyun should always be so happy.

He doesn’t know what possesses him in that moment, maybe it is Baekhyun’s brilliant smile, or his equally brilliant emotions wrapping around Chanyeol’s heart, and he swoops lower to wrap his arms around Baekhyun’s back, hands slithering under the fabric of his kimono thanks to Baekhyun’s conveniently open arms –for demonstration. He pulls the smaller man closer to his chest, and Baekhyun doesn’t even hesitate to curl his arms around Chanyeol’s shoulders, a move so orchestrated, like pulling the looping strings to tie a bow. It feels like a puzzle piece falling in place and Chanyeol smiles under his breath contentedly, Baekhyun’s roses sweetening his mood, previously turned sour because of Sir Do.

“It suits you” he says, deep voice lulling, as Baekhyun relaxes in his embrace and presses his pink cheeks against the taller’s chest; he is always so responsive and unreservedly cuddly, never asking for a reason, and maybe that’s why Chanyeol has also stopped asking himself why he likes touching and hugging Baekhyun so much. He pulls back after a while, keeping Baekhyun at arm’s length to inspect the gift a little further; it’s perfectly sewn, to the last pearl and stitch, the black silk flowing over Baekhyun’s figure like an airy, nontransparent veil, down to his fingertips and toes. The patterns are intricate and crafted well, matching the sheen on Baekhyun’s smiling, pink lips, as much as the pitch black silk suits his similar hair.

After a few long moments of patiently withstanding Chanyeol’s gaze, Baekhyun takes him by the hand and slowly, silently guides him to the bed, sitting on the side next to him; it was pretty pointless to be standing by the door, and with how tired they are, it’s best if they are somewhere near the bed, just in case. The robe shifts out of the way to reveal Baekhyun’s shapely legs, clad in black, tight trousers, and his black jacket tied around his waist with a belt, accentuating his shape; Chanyeol remembers stuttering when he first saw Baekhyun’s voluptuous figure so clearly in these clothes earlier. It is always just as impressive. Baekhyun looked stunning at dinner tonight, and Chanyeol will admit he felt multiple unpleasant pangs of something bitter in his stomach, whenever Kris would give Baekhyun a charming smile, his emerald eyes raking over the smaller’s frame. Chanyeol focuses on Baekhyun’s lips and frowns.

“Baek, I’ve been meaning to ask all night; are these real?” he asks, a small part at the back of his mind panicking that Baekhyun really did something like this while Chanyeol was not around. It shouldn’t matter, but it does. He is so preoccupied with those thoughts, that he doesn’t notice Baekhyun’s smile fading, his breath catching in his throat, interpreting Chanyeol’s frown very differently.

Chanyeol scrutinizes with his eyes the metal ring circling the middle of Baekhyun’s bottom lip and disappearing between his lips, and then his gaze follows the shiny chains linking it to another metal earring on his earlobe. There are a couple more earrings on his other ear, curling around the shell, peeking silver under his black strands of hair. Their design is similar to the rings Baekhyun had been wearing, but has taken off his pretty fingers by now; Chanyeol remembers every piece on Baekhyun’s skin with a stirring sensation in the pit of his stomach.

All these piercings make Baekhyun look more mysterious and ethereal, in combination with his coal-smoked eyes, glinting red on his lids in some angles, but Chanyeol can’t help but feel he has lost his Baekhyun to this majestic creature. This Baekhyun looks like a vampire, a stunning, graceful, immortal gentleman; he doesn’t look like the kind hybrid that asks naïve questions and curls close to him at night. In a heartbeat, Chanyeol realizes that it will happen, even if it hasn’t happened already; Baekhyun will grow accustomed to this world and he will no longer need him, and then, naturally, he will leave him behind for his own journey. Chanyeol’s heart beats anxiously while he waits for a response, his chest aching a little; he can’t be afraid of being alone, he has been alone all his life, this feeling must be something else.

Baekhyun notices Chanyeol’s gaze and touches the metal jewelry self-consciously.

“No, they’re clipped on” he says, taking them off carefully one by one and gathering them in one hand, demonstrating their clips and the lack of remaining holes on his skin. Chanyeol lets out a breath he didn’t know he had been holding, watching them all come off, but there is a lingering sense of nervousness in his stomach. Baekhyun keeps his eyes downcast, poking at the pool of shaped metal in his palm dejectedly. His gloomy mood after taking the earrings off startles Chanyeol a bit. “My body doesn’t hold foreign substances and objects; I can’t have tattoos or piercings. But your father said every vampire has at least one, and he told me to use these for tonight” he explains, his lips vainly trying to resist a pout, his eyes blinking at the fake jewelry a little sadly.

 _Oh._ Chanyeol understands now, his heart sinking to his stomach. Baekhyun grew up alone and has lived alone most of his life, so it’s natural if he doesn’t know a thing or two about the world, including vampire customs; most, if not all vampires have tattoos and piercings, they are considered beautiful in their culture –even Chanyeol has one, since years ago. But Baekhyun never had someone to help him through such customs, and since his skin is not suitable for ink and holes, it would be expected to feel out of place here. Chanyeol shouldn’t have felt betrayed because of the unprecedented piercings and bold makeup Baekhyun tried without him; Baekhyun was only trying to fit in. Heavens, Chanyeol knows how that feels, better than anyone.

His own lips quirk sadly, feeling guilty for the way he approached the subject, making Baekhyun feel insecure about it and hurting his feelings. He uselessly wonders what to do to make up for his insensitivity. Baekhyun bites his lower lip hesitantly. “You didn’t like them?” he asks in a tiny voice, unsure whether he wants to hear the answer, refusing to meet Chanyeol’s apologetic eyes. It’s another blow, how small and disappointed he looks, shoulders slumped and lips pouting. He only wanted to fit in, to surprise Chanyeol with his pretty outfit, and here Chanyeol got stupidly jealous. Of course he liked everything Baekhyun wore tonight –maybe a little too much even, that he couldn’t think of anything else all night but how otherworldly and stunning Baekhyun looked. Maybe he can’t admit to how far his thoughts took him, but he shouldn’t let this misunderstanding grow any further. Chanyeol gently places a comforting hand on Baekhyun’s shoulder; the smaller flinches, a little tense in anticipation, and chances a glance his way.

“You’re always beautiful to me” Chanyeol assures him, giving him a small smile in encouragement. Baekhyun is still biting his lip as he slowly turns to look at Chanyeol properly, puppy eyes unsure and rueful, cheeks dusted pink. Baekhyun is beautiful in effortless ways, in the ways he feels, in the way he smiles and pouts, in the way he moves and talks; he doesn’t need embellishments to be considered beautiful. He takes a long look into Chanyeol’s eyes, searching and holding his breath, and then he sighs heavily, his body tilting towards Chanyeol a little, an adorable habit of his whenever he feels vulnerable. He doesn’t look disappointed per se, just a little tired and thoughtful.

Chanyeol’s hand, resting on his shoulder, slides up the silken fabric and curls around the back of Baekhyun’s neck; the pale skin ripples a little when his fingers start massaging gently, but Baekhyun stays still. His eyes close, dark lids and eyelashes fluttering over his cheeks as he enjoys the treatment, relaxing in Chanyeol’s hold. Maybe they _both_ don’t have the instinct to protect their neck from others, because he is sure that Baekhyun relaxes whenever Chanyeol touches his nape, and for himself, that he secretly finds it cute whenever Baekhyun nuzzles Chanyeol’s throat in his sleep.

“How are you feeling?” Chanyeol asks quietly after a while.

“Tired, but better than yesterday” Baekhyun admits honestly, spine completely surrendered to Chanyeol’s will, almost limp enough for him to collapse in Chanyeol’s lap. Before that happens though, he composes his body and straightens, lifting his head back, and Chanyeol withdraws his fingers. Baekhyun is frowning when his expression is revealed. “My fangs feel sore” he says naively, a curious question underlying his words. He turns to sit so that his body is facing Chanyeol and opens his mouth like a good child, to let Chanyeol have a look at his canines. It’s endearing and a little reassuring that he unconditionally turns to Chanyeol for help when he is concerned about something.

The angle of his head, tilted back slightly, gives the taller a better view, as Chanyeol leans closer, one hand on Baekhyun’s chin guiding it left and right to inspect all sides; he knows a few things about species physiology, or maybe he can ask his father tomorrow. Baekhyun cooperates patiently, curious eyes looking down at Chanyeol, filled with expectation.

“It must be because we’ve drunk blood without biting anything” Chanyeol muses, his hand now cupping the side of Baekhyun’s jaw, as his thumb tentatively touches the protruding fang; it looks longer than usual, but in perfect condition. Chanyeol hasn’t had such a problem so far, but every individual reacts differently. Baekhyun hums in agreement and holds still, trusting Chanyeol to explore all he wants, as the taller runs his thumb up the smooth enamel of his canine tooth, down to the sharp tip, and up again. _His fangs are so perfect._

Chanyeol thinks he feels Baekhyun shiver in his hold, but it’s gone too soon and his mind is dazed with the smooth sensation under his fingertip, his eyes captivated by those sharp little teeth and the pink lips framing them. He experimentally tucks his thumb under Baekhyun’s soft lip to touch his sore gum, warm and silky, and Baekhyun keens at the back of his throat. The unwonted sound is husky and strained, and it cuts through Chanyeol’s stupor like a steel knife. He recoils, drawing his finger out of Baekhyun’s mouth instantly, his eyes widening.

“Sorry, did that hurt?” he apologizes, eyes a little frantic; did he really get so carried away that he didn’t notice he was hurting Baekhyun, how could he? What was he even doing? _Chanyeol, you fool, he trusted you._ Baekhyun momentarily closes his mouth, covering it with his fingers and swiping them under his lower lip for any stray saliva; he doesn’t look mad or pained anymore, thankfully, but that doesn’t change the fact that Chanyeol has acted so recklessly. _What is happening to me today, why am I making so many mistakes?_ Chanyeol waits to be rightfully scolded, with a half guilty and half concerned look, pinching his fingers nervously. Baekhyun checks his fingers for any moist evidence and then looks at him.

“No” he assures Chanyeol, sounding certain about it, even shaking his head a little; Chanyeol’s eyebrow curls in question. Baekhyun’s fangs bizarrely seem even longer now, poking his lower lip as he speaks, and Baekhyun tries touching and rubbing them with his own fingers a little. “It felt kind of nice, actually” he mumbles an absentminded confession, looking at his own fingers as if asking them why they can’t have the same effect. Chanyeol feels his heart unsqueezing and he breathes a little easier. Baekhyun takes Chanyeol’s hand in his hands and examines his fingers, a curious, bewildered frown settling on his features. “Why is it different when your hands do it?” he squeaks, and Chanyeol chuckles at the smaller’s cute, slightly indignant and confused expression. He cups Baekhyun’s face with both hands, catching the smaller man’s full attention.

“Can I help?” he offers, and Baekhyun immediately opens his mouth to let Chanyeol touch his canines. It’s not a request as common as ‘scratch my back, please’ but if Chanyeol can help, why wouldn’t he? Chanyeol places one thumb over each canine on either side and repeats what he had been doing before, only now he glances at Baekhyun’s expression every so often, to make sure he’ll know in time if it makes him uneasy.

The moments tick by, and Baekhyun relaxes in Chanyeol’s hold, finding relief for his sore teeth. He is breathing slowly through his nose, his jaw lax, his entire body relaxed in spite of the awkward angle of his neck. Chanyeol gets a little distracted by his task again, his hands having a mind of their own when stroking up and down in synch, teasing the sharp edges and pressing against the gums. His own breath turns slower, his mouth watering a little from the scent of roses in the air. The picture is absolutely illegal; Baekhyun’s mouth parted and yielding, his tongue flicking idly, his sharp teeth and lavishly tender lips, his cheeks pink, his eyes hooded and dark under his lashes as he stares at Chanyeol intently. There is something oddly sensual about this, about Baekhyun panting softly while Chanyeol is stroking his sensitive fangs, which draw out almost to their full size under Chanyeol’s ministrations, about his rose scent clouding Chanyeol’s mind and his appearance making something coil inside the taller, about the little noises of pleasure that escape Baekhyun’s throat and his blown pupils, which tremble and shift constantly, hypnotically, almost trying to swallow the irises. Chanyeol strangely enjoys looking at Baekhyun in the eyes when he is like this, all because of him, his coherency sinking with each of Baekhyun’s quiet moans.

Chanyeol’s fingers slowly trace the inner seam of Baekhyun’s upper lip, mindlessly wondering what it tastes like, before pressing against the roots of his fangs, eliciting a blissful wail out of Baekhyun’s mouth, the smaller’s eyes rolling back a little.

“Okay stop” Baekhyun pulls away first after that, and Chanyeol obeys at once, lacing his fingers on his lap timidly. It didn’t sound like Baekhyun was in pain… _not at all_. Baekhyun blinks repeatedly, trying to focus and shake off the former feeling, whatever it might have been. Chanyeol’s ears grow bright red in embarrassment for what he has done, for the intimate state he has witnessed Baekhyun in, his cheeks slowly igniting too. The flames in the room except for the fireplace are coiled around their threads like tiny embers, and Chanyeol realizes much to his fluster that he is feeling the inklings of inappropriate excitement in his body, running their thrilling tendrils up his spine. He should…he should…

“This is really strange” Baekhyun murmurs then, interrupting Chanyeol’s perplexing internal struggle. He snaps out of it and looks at Baekhyun, an apology ready on his lips, but the words die in surprise when he sees Baekhyun; his fangs are not as long as he vividly remembers them under his fingers a couple of moments ago, his eyes are perfectly normal, and his flushed cheeks blend into the darkness without remark. The world is perfectly clear around them, leaving little room for questions, and he starts doubting if this ever happened or if he imagined everything. Could he imagine Baekhyun moaning under his hands, sighing in pleasure, eyes dark and promising?

Chanyeol must be really tired.

Baekhyun runs his tongue over his teeth in his mouth, looking a little confused –far less confused than Chanyeol in any case–, but he doesn’t say anything further, leaving Chanyeol questioning his fuzzy memory and his racy imagination. A short silence comes between them, careful and idle, until Baekhyun starts unbuttoning his cufflinks mechanically, preparing to change before they sleep. He focuses on his wrists unnecessarily hard, but Chanyeol doesn’t get suspicious of the lack of eye contact, exhaustion catching up to him fast.

Baekhyun silently excuses himself to change in the closet room and Chanyeol follows his example, after Baekhyun comes out, both of them too tired to even exchange a proper look. Chanyeol flops onto the bed in his nightclothes, feeling a surge of relief in his bones when they hit the mattress, his eyelids heavy. Baekhyun had already been lying under the covers and he shuffles closer, bringing the blanket over Chanyeol’s body, up to his shoulders with care, and then he makes himself comfortable, snuggly tucked by Chanyeol’s side. “Let’s go to sleep; we have a long day ahead of us”

~~~

Baekhyun, bent over the large mahogany desk and groaning low as Chanyeol pushes into him, hard and slow, body arched, hands scratching the polished surface, skin glistening with sweat, sinful lips asking for more.

Baekhyun, splayed on the velvet couch by the fireplace and whimpering as Chanyeol folds him in half and kisses down his plush thighs, pliant and sweet, blushing chest heaving in anticipation, chanting whispers deliriously.

Baekhyun, pushed up against the bathroom wall and moaning as Chanyeol takes him into his mouth, the room filled with steam fog, moans spilling from his lips, knees weak, fingers pulling at Chanyeol’s hair helplessly.

Baekhyun, resting in the midst of ruby sheets and fluffy pillows, vulnerable and soft, his figure outlined by the golden glow of the fire in the hearth, body lines relaxed, curvy and strong in just the right places. He is warm, breaths even and deep, as Chanyeol’s fingers trace over a stripe of exposed skin under his shirt, raising goose bumps on their path. He smells like roses and he is so irresistible, as Chanyeol scoots closer languidly, nose pressing against Baekhyun’s shoulder blade, and his fingers sneak into Baekhyun’s pants. The man’s lips part in a quiet, involuntary huff. Chanyeol traces over Baekhyun’s soft member, fingers reverent and careful, his own decidedly hard member pressing against Baekhyun’s buttocks in deliberate circles. Baekhyun’s gasp is more audible this time and his body stirs, his eyebrows curled in confusion and discomfort, while his eyes blink away sleep.

“Chanye- _oh_ ” he gasps again, his puzzlement turning into surprise when Chanyeol closes his mouth around Baekhyun’s earlobe, nibbling slightly. He can smell Baekhyun’s arousal, he is sure they’re not far from the physical evidence of it appearing in Chanyeol’s kneading palm. “Chanyeol, stop; you can’t-” Baekhyun doesn’t finish his sentence, his words jumbled due to the unexpected stimulation, the shock and his drowsiness. There is no bite to his refusal, just urgency and bewilderment.

Since Chanyeol seems to have very poor control of his frustrated body at the moment, Baekhyun resorts to fishing Chanyeol’s hand out of his underwear himself, his hold on the taller’s wrist guiding the foreign hand away ever so gently –and, unpredictably, efficiently doing so. Chanyeol _craves_ for the intimacy that his sleepy body succumbed to, but the very same body feels too weak to defend it; he can’t protest against Baekhyun’s hold, even though the last thing he wants is to disengage from Baekhyun’s body. It’s even more surprising that Baekhyun, in spite of being smaller and fresh from sleep, manages to push Chanyeol flat on his back, manhandling him into submission so effortlessly, as if the taller were a ragdoll. Sprawled on the bed with Baekhyun kneeling by his side worriedly, Chanyeol stares at the crimson canopy of the bed; his vision is a little foggy on the edges. _Something is not right._

His body feels weird.

“Chanyeol, are you okay, are you sick?” Baekhyun asks anxiously, completely awake and clearly concerned. Chanyeol tries to speak but only a choked sob comes out of his tight throat. Baekhyun’s long fingers push the hair away from Chanyeol’s forehead tenderly, a gasp escaping him at the contact with Chanyeol’s skin. “You’re burning up” he exclaims, the fingers of both of his hands fretfully brushing Chanyeol’s sweat-matted hairs away from his temples.

Chanyeol bitterly thinks that Baekhyun couldn’t have phrased it better. It’s like his veins are on fire, itching and burning under his feverish skin, his blood pumping abnormally fast. His vision is blurry, there is a constant whirring sound in his ears, his limbs feel so weak and cold, but hot at the same time. Was he sleeping a moment ago? He feels heavy, numb, so distracted that he can’t even focus his eyesight on Baekhyun hovering above him, and yet so highly strung that he can’t think of anything but the desire overwhelming his body and how good Baekhyun’s fingers feel in his hair. He feels every pulse to his loins like a surge of heat, his erection straining proud against his pants; he needs something, anything, so much he can’t breathe. His eyelids flutter when black spots start appearing in his vision, his senses prickling.

“No, stay with me, please talk to me” Baekhyun shakes him by the shoulders, trying to keep him from fainting. The helplessness in his voice hooks Chanyeol to reality, keeping him awake. Even though he can’t open his half-lidded eyes or move his paralyzed limbs, he feels a bit more sober when he finally looks at Baekhyun’s alarmed expression, his eyebrows curving worriedly over his eyes.

And he feels so sick. So disgusted with himself, so lewd; he _touched_ Baekhyun like that, while he was innocently sleeping; he betrayed his trust. He had no right to dream of Baekhyun like this, to yearn for his touch and hunger for his skin; Baekhyun is the most precious person he has, he admires him and respects him, he is willing to protect him at all costs. He doesn’t know what happened in his sleep; it was beyond his control –his body still feels confusing and foreign, so he has no explanation– but it was his hand inappropriately placed on Baekhyun’s body, his lips teasing his ear. How can Baekhyun stand being so close to him after what he did? Chanyeol would be revolted, furious even.

But here Baekhyun is, worried sick over Chanyeol’s bad health, looking pained and lost, and he never once flinched away from him, even when the situation was compromising.

Chanyeol takes a big breath and with great effort he whispers a pained apology. “I’m sorry” his voice is small and guilty, his mind still cloudy and tormented by his senses. Baekhyun presses his lips in a thin line and shakes his head sadly, his hair falling into his eyes.

“Don’t apologize to me” he says softly, his gaze falling gently over Chanyeol’s wrecked countenance. Chanyeol would like to object and apologize again, because he is not this sort of lowly person his actions make him out to be and his feelings for Baekhyun go far beyond carnal desire, but his body betrays him; his heart picks up the pace without warning, his chest heaving to catch up with enough oxygen. Baekhyun startles. “I’ll bring you some water, wait here” he scurries off the bed, leaving Chanyeol alone –it takes less than a second for Chanyeol to decide he can’t stay on the bed.

He pulls on the sheets until he reaches the edge and swings his legs over the side with great effort, then he tries to stand and make a step. But his knees give out, not an ounce of strength left in his body, and he collapses on the floor by the bed, dragging part of the sheets with him. Not even his inhumanly fast reflexes can save him from the clumsy fall, but the dull throb of his tailbone is nothing compared to the burning sensation consuming him. He feels sensitive all over, especially between his legs; even the air shifting against his skin as Baekhyun walks closer feels unbearable.

“Be careful. Here” Baekhyun offers him a crystal glass of water, kneeling down beside him and helping him drink –there would be no chance of Chanyeol holding the glass by himself or even reaching for it. He has never felt so drained before. The water brings momentary relief as it slides down his throat, but the comfort is gone too soon and the glass is empty. Baekhyun places it on the ornate bedside table before he returns next to Chanyeol. “How are you feeling?”

“Hot” Chanyeol coughs out, leaning into Baekhyun’s touch when the latter combs his hair away from his face to reveal his deep frown. Using his fingers, Baekhyun tries to open Chanyeol’s heavy-lidded eyes and peer into them inquisitively; Chanyeol weirdly feels his pupils hurt from the muted light in the room.

“I think you’ve been drugged” Baekhyun decides, checking the temperature of Chanyeol’s forehead again, and then feeling his pulse under his jaw. Chanyeol groans weakly; why would anyone drug him? Their stay is _supposed_ to be more carefully planned than that, their safety ensured by their guilty and fearful hosts; no vampire can be trusted after all, just like his father warned him. “Maybe it’s some sort of aphrodisiac, but it makes you weak and desperate” Baekhyun continues, his probing hands trying to lift Chanyeol and have him sit more comfortably, with his back against the side of the bed and his legs sprawled straight, instead of awkwardly bent under his weight.

But all these inconspicuous touches, Baekhyun’s whispering husky voice, his rose scent lingering in the air, his soft lips so close, they have Chanyeol spiraling down to another fit of lust. He doesn’t want to, Baekhyun deserves better, he is innocent, but his body has a mind of its own, pushing images of Baekhyun, naked and ravished and pleasured, into his unwilling consciousness. Every inch of his body tickles, he is _burning_ , and Baekhyun is so close, so beautiful, his mellifluous voice calling Chanyeol’s name and sending shivers down his spine. Chanyeol almost doesn’t care anymore, the heat between his legs is painful; he doesn’t want anything else, just Baekhyun, he needs Baekhyun, Baekhyun, “ _Baekhyun_ ”

“I…I can help” Baekhyun’s eyes are wide, nervous and scared, as he bites his lip timidly. Chanyeol realizes he has called Baekhyun’s name out loud, perhaps moaned it desperately, and he feels embarrassment creep in the form of a red stain on his cheeks. He absentmindedly frowns, curious as to what Baekhyun just said; he can help? Baekhyun guesses the question and gulps. “I could…touch you. If you let me, if you want me to” he proposes. He seems unsure but not the least bit awkward or shy. And then an anguished expression takes over his features “It pains me to see you like this, please, tell me what to do” he whispers feebly, leaning his forehead against Chanyeol’s, sniffling with his eyes closed in worry. Chanyeol’s heart constricts, understanding how far Baekhyun would go to help him; there’s very little they wouldn’t do for one another. He closes his eyes too, feeling Baekhyun’s dilemma under his skin. He doesn’t know how to help himself, all he can think of is Baekhyun.

Uncertain as ever, he gives a tiny nod. Baekhyun picks up on it as if it were a lighted beacon in the night.

“Are you sure?” he checks again, sitting back to properly look at Chanyeol in the eye. Chanyeol doesn’t know what is happening, he doesn’t know what will happen afterwards and whether it will affect their friendship…but he trusts Baekhyun. So he gives another nod. Baekhyun wordlessly mirrors the gesture in understanding and scoots closer, sitting right next to Chanyeol and facing him. “Well…I won’t look” he promises. With the way he is positioned, he’d have to look over his shoulder or turn around to see anything compromising; Chanyeol appreciates this false privacy. “But if you want me to stop, if you feel uncomfortable, for any reason at all, at _any_ given moment, you tell me to stop, and I promise I’ll stop immediately, okay?” Baekhyun presses, his voice serious and his eyes holding Chanyeol’s gaze to make sure he understands. It’s hard to do anything other than blink and pant, so Chanyeol sighs in response –it would be an obvious consent anyway.

Baekhyun’s right hand ventures on Chanyeol’s chest, fluttering down his stomach and abdomen searchingly. He is blindly looking for his waistband, and Chanyeol would help guide him if he could, but he can only groan exasperatedly at the arousal the small touches of Baekhyun’s hands on his body spike inside him. Baekhyun gives him an apologetic expression, aware of how torturous this feels for Chanyeol. “Sorry, I’m trying”

And he succeeds soon enough, his fingers stumbling on the laces at the front of Chanyeol’s pants. He loses no time in undoing them, loosening them expertly with deft fingers and pushing the fabric aside. The gust of air against his aching erection and the promise of touches make Chanyeol growl in his chest, his nose scrunching in arousal. Baekhyun’s left hand holds Chanyeol’s head against his shoulder, hiding his private expressions, which Chanyeol is thankful for; he’s not sure how he feels about the _view_ though.

In spite of his messed up senses and blurry eyesight, Chanyeol has a startlingly good view of Baekhyun’s fair hand as it hovers over Chanyeol’s member, fingertips hesitantly moving closer to touch him; they send a violent shiver down Chanyeol’s spine, feeling cold against the reddened skin. The fingers drag up and down the length gently, exploring unhurriedly, tracing a prominent vein. Chanyeol pants feverishly against Baekhyun’s shoulder, barely keeping himself from drooling. Baekhyun’s dainty hand smears all available fluid down Chanyeol’s shaft, trying to make the slide easier, even though it’s already embarrassingly sleek enough.

The first pumps are slow and snug, intended to be just _enough_ to bring a first sense of relief; Chanyeol sighs in rhythm, his thoughts scattering and turning to sparks of satisfaction, but he exhales forcedly when Baekhyun’s hold tightens at the base unexpectedly, as if testing him. Chanyeol is so sensitive that it almost hurts to be touched, but Baekhyun is being so careful, the fingers of his left hand threading through Chanyeol’s hair comfortingly.

Baekhyun works up his pace, his hold tightening deliciously. Chanyeol is for once thankful for his benumbed body and missing voice, because he is spared the loud moans and lustful whines of pleasure, instead breathing so hard he feels his lungs trembling at every exhale. He gradually grows delirious, his thoughts messy and nonsensical, only able to feel the thrill of being touched where needed, the smooth slide from base to tip, the tight ring of delicate yet certain fingers around his throbbing length; he would be thrusting up frantically out of reflex if his body was able to, chasing the pleasure, but Baekhyun makes up for it, bringing the pleasure to him by diligently squeezing every aching inch.

When Baekhyun’s finger presses against the weeping slit, a broken whine escapes Chanyeol, euphoria burning inside him, his fangs itching weirdly. Baekhyun sighs, but there is no other indication of how he is feeling. He purposefully rubs the head instead, making Chanyeol squirm violently against him, being pushed closer to the precipice. He can’t bear to look any longer and he closes his eyes, feeling Baekhyun’s fingers pressing around him harder, faster, and Chanyeol is beyond caring about the eager responses of his body, or his quiet whines and his fingers twitching on the ground, his body shuddering, unable to express the intense pleasure.

It’s Baekhyun’s low, husky voice that does it.

“Don’t worry, I’ve got you” he rasps into Chanyeol’s ear, the first words he has spoken in what feels like forever. Chanyeol’s body tenses, his bones tingle and he feels blinded by the fire inside him, the wave of pleasure crushing him whole. When the world comes into focus again, Baekhyun is still helping him to the end, with slower pumps and hushed words. Chanyeol is wrecked, sobbing against Baekhyun’s shoulder; the pleasure quickly turns into guilt. _What did I just do?_

“Shh, you’ll be fine” Baekhyun mumbles comfortingly, pressing a lingering kiss against Chanyeol’s temple, his hand cradling the taller close. And only now does Chanyeol find some of his strength, raising his hands and fisting them in Baekhyun’s shirt, his hold tightening in remorse.

“S-sorry” he sobs sorrowfully, his tears spilling and staining Baekhyun’s shirt. He can’t say how sorry he is, he can’t cry out his guilt, he can’t hold onto Baekhyun tight enough to prove how much he means to him and how truly repentant he is for what he has selfishly made him do. It feels like there’s a rope of thorns tightening on his heart. “I’m so sorry”

Baekhyun tries to pull away and look at him but Chanyeol buries his face against his shoulder desperately, conveying that he doesn’t want to be seen yet. He wallows in his tears and apologies, mumbled against the fabric of Baekhyun’s shirt, as the shorter gives him soothing caresses, stroking his hair and down his back. Chanyeol wonders how broken they look, lying in a mess of sheets and debauched acts, crying in guilt, hiding against each other in shame and staying quiet in confusion.

“Stop apologizing” Baekhyun says quietly when Chanyeol has calmed down a bit, his fingers rubbing the shell of Chanyeol’s ears soothingly. He doesn’t understand why Baekhyun doesn’t want him apologizing, but he is in no position to choose how to mend the situation between them, so he remains silent. “Let’s clean you up” Baekhyun suggests, and this time Chanyeol lets him pull back; if he notices the taller’s red-rimmed eyes and the miserable slump of his shoulders, he doesn’t say anything about it.

Chanyeol needs help to get on his feet and even then he can’t stand without support. He feels physically and mentally exhausted. Baekhyun holds him by the waist as they slowly advance to the bathroom, and Chanyeol leans on him heavily, only half in control of his legs and the rest of his limping, ailing body. His sagging pants are not helping.

The bathroom is too bright compared to the main room, and Chanyeol has to blink several times to adjust. Baekhyun deposits him on the edge of the bathtub carefully, making sure Chanyeol can hold himself in a sitting position without help before he lets go. Naturally, Chanyeol needs help in taking off his clothes, as embarrassing as that might be, but Baekhyun seems comfortable with the task, sliding Chanyeol’s pants the remaining way to the floor. Then, he removes Chanyeol’s shirt, his fingers dancing up his back and over his head, then down his arms. All the clothes are thrown to the hamper and Chanyeol is left sitting bare on the edge of the bathtub, uselessly covering his modesty with his hands. Baekhyun doesn’t even blink his way though, turning on the tap and watching the porcelain tub fill with water until he is satisfied.

“Let’s get you in” he instructs calmly. Chanyeol has to wrap his arms around Baekhyun’s neck so that the shorter can lift him high enough to help him into the tub, and in spite of Chanyeol’s shaky, self-conscious breaths and the water coming dangerously close to soaking Baekhyun’s own clothes, neither complains. Chanyeol lays his head on a folded towel Baekhyun tucks under his neck, and Baekhyun sits down next to the bathtub, equipped with another towel which he has dipped into the water. He starts patting the sweat and dried tears from Chanyeol’s face tenderly. Chanyeol watches him do it with no will left to do anything but breathe.

Baekhyun is a beautiful creature, really beautiful, inside and out. He is loyal and kind, brave and strong, but also gentle. He has the prettiest eyes, one silver grey and one iolite blue, downturned in soft, patient sadness. His hair falls over his forehead innocently, and his skin is fair and smooth. The angles of his face are sharp but his lips are curved, pink and pouty as he talks.

“The water will lower your temperature and help your muscles relax” he explains absentmindedly, his eyes inspecting the work of his hands. The tension slowly leaves Chanyeol’s body, dissipating in the water. The porcelain is cold against his skin, raising goose bumps that the warm water melts away. Baekhyun swipes the dump towel over Chanyeol’s forehead one last time. “We need you to be well enough to go back to sleep and regain your strength” he says, finally looking at Chanyeol in the eyes and giving him a cute eyesmile.

“It’s all my fault” Chanyeol tells him quietly, holding his gaze. It’s enough to show how heavyhearted he feels and how regretful. Baekhyun’s smile fades and is replaced with a calm expression and a small sigh, as if he is dealing with an endearingly stubborn child.

“I didn’t do anything I didn’t want to, Chanyeol, remember that” he points out patiently, with no hint of bitterness or regret. He is not awkward at all, even after the intimacy they’ve shared, and the thought makes Chanyeol’s cheeks flush for some reason; Baekhyun looks unrepentant, as if he’d do it all over again if he had to. “Besides, it couldn’t be your fault if you were drugged” he frowns at that, a thoughtful look shadowing his features.

“Who would do such a thing?” Chanyeol wonders aloud, sounding as confused as he feels “Why would they drug me with an aphrodisiac, expecting it to work in the middle of the night?” He is sure everyone knows he and Baekhyun alone share his father’s quarters for the night, and no one else has access to them; what use would it be to anyone if he got hot and bothered, locked in a room with Baekhyun when everyone else is asleep? Could it be some twisted joke, to see if they really are mates like most of them like to suspect?

“I don’t know” Baekhyun shakes his head, baffled. “Maybe they spiked your drink or sprinkled it on your food, but they must have targeted you specifically, because I don’t feel weird at all” he scratches his nape cutely, like a puppy “Did anyone invite you to, um, spend the night with them?” he asks, and only now does he look a little awkward with their subject. Chanyeol averts his eyes, feeling bashful.

“Someone tried to” he admits quietly. He didn’t tell Baekhyun earlier because he didn’t think it mattered. He wouldn’t have left Baekhyun. Besides, the shorter looked so happy with his silken robe and his fake piercings, that Chanyeol forgot Sir Do had been trying to snatch him away for the night before he got into the safety of their room. He doesn’t talk about it now either, because it feels a little wrong to be discussing his potential intimate life with Baekhyun after what happened between them a few minutes ago, the memory of the touches still fresh against his skin.

“Your father was right; these people have grown desperate. We have to be more careful, we’ll visit him together tomorrow” Baekhyun says instead of pushing the matter further, his fingers idly playing with the towel in his hands. “And I’m sorry, but we have to leave soon” Chanyeol nods stiffly, restless with the subject but not failing to appreciate Baekhyun’s discretion. A few moments pass in complete silence, with the occasional tilt of water against the edges of the tub.

“Why are you so uncomfortable around me?” Baekhyun asks out of the blue, folding his arms on the rim of the bathtub and resting his head on them. That was a bit _too_ insightful. Chanyeol chances a flustered glance, to find Baekhyun staring at him with a hurt, stubborn look in his puppy eyes and a pout on his pretty lips. Chanyeol sighs; he should have known he can’t hide from Baekhyun, not when he is evidently better at sensing Chanyeol’s emotions than the other way round.

“I feel responsible…for everything that happened tonight” he admits, lowering his gaze from Baekhyun’s insistent eyes to his pursed lips. He feels so horribly to blame, even if Baekhyun won’t hear his apologies. He woke Baekhyun up in the middle of the night, he touched him inappropriately, he made him worry and burdened him with the task of taking care of his ill body. None of these should have happened. None of these would have happened if Chanyeol was stronger, more aware and careful, if he weren’t secretly longing for Baekhyun.

“I know you feel sorry” said man says after a while, flicking his fingers on the surface and sending droplets on Chanyeol’s face, making him flinch and look up. Baekhyun is waiting with a playful smile on his lips, which brings half a smile on Chanyeol’s lips too. “But I’ve been trying to tell you that you _shouldn’t_ ” he explains, his smile softening and growing fond. It’s not the first time he looks at Chanyeol this way; if anything, this is how he first looked at him ever. But Chanyeol still doesn’t know what it means.

“Why?” he asks in a small voice. Baekhyun sighs and lifts his head from his arms.

“That’s a conversation for another time” he dismisses, and Chanyeol thinks he senses some melancholy from him, but as always he can’t be sure –unlike Baekhyun when he senses Chanyeol’s feelings. “Come out now, we should go back to sleep” he says in a more cheerful voice; Chanyeol can’t fathom how much pain Baekhyun hides. The shorter man walks out of view and comes back with a body towel, holding it up, unraveled in front of him like a screen divider. “I’m not peeking –not that it really matters” he mumbles the last part mischievously and Chanyeol feels a hot blush spreading from his shoulders to the tips of his ears, as he uses the tub for support and slowly rises from the water. Baekhyun is quick to wrap the towel around his body and have him sit down again on the edge of the porcelain.

“I’m a little embarrassed about that too, you know” Chanyeol mumbles like a kid, wishing there was a way to hide his beet red ears, but unfortunately, he can only look away to cover his embarrassment. Baekhyun just laughs very unhelpfully and picks the towel which had been under Chanyeol’s head to help him get dry. He will probably have to do all the work by himself again, since Chanyeol is still feeling too weak to move. Baekhyun starts from Chanyeol’s nape and any exposed bits of his back.

“You shouldn’t” he almost whispers, a gentler version of his smile in his voice as he presses a swift kiss on Chanyeol’s hair, almost unnoticeable, before he moves on to wipe the water from Chanyeol’s shoulders, remaining composed and silent. Chanyeol doesn’t understand why he is the only one blushing deep red at Baekhyun’s affectionate gestures; he cannot make much sense of this day.

Baekhyun dabs the towel across Chanyeol’s collarbones and down the length of his arms –Chanyeol shivers imperceptibly whenever Baekhyun lingers at a ridge between the toned muscles– and then finishes his work with Chanyeol’s legs from the knee down, where the body towel doesn’t reach. He helps him into clean underwear, and even though Chanyeol watches him closely in embarrassment, Baekhyun doesn’t steal a single glance; he doesn’t even wear the mischievous smile. For the sake of saving time, Baekhyun helps Chanyeol into the silken robe, tying it around his waist simply, instead of bothering with proper clothes.

They return to the bed, Chanyeol walking with support from Baekhyun, until the latter lays him down carefully once more. He makes sure he is comfortable with his pillows and tucked in the warmth of the covers up to his neck, before he leaves for the other side of the bed. Chanyeol closes his eyes with a tired sigh. It’s been a long night and all he wants is to sleep.

He doesn’t expect it when Baekhyun moves closer under the covers and presses his body behind Chanyeol’s, one arm curling around his waist, _spooning_ him. They sleep tangled in each other more often than not, but Baekhyun has never spooned him before –no one has ever held Chanyeol to sleep like this. It should feel strange, being the taller of the two, but it actually feels comforting. He is very comfortable, feeling the expensive silk wrapped around his body, the heat of Baekhyun’s body against him, long fingers splayed over his stomach protectively, small lips and a button nose pressed against his shoulder.

But sleep doesn’t come and Chanyeol keeps having all these thoughts. Baekhyun is not sleeping either, his breaths not deep enough yet.

“Baekhyun, can I ask you something? You can choose not to answer, if you want” he whispers uncertainly. Baekhyun just hums behind him, a little sleepy. Chanyeol’s fingers play with the edge of the covers nervously. “Have you ever…done something like this before?” He doesn’t need to specify what he is referring to; it must be very clear what makes him uncomfortable and he hasn’t tried to hide it. Baekhyun stirs behind him, and Chanyeol holds his breath waiting for the answer, his heart beating unreasonably loud.

“Not really” Baekhyun’s words could have been more drowsy but they are very clear, even though his lips brush against Chanyeol’s neck. Chanyeol tries to conceal his sigh of relief with a small squirm on the bed –he doesn’t even know why he feels this way. Baekhyun lets him settle down before he gets comfortable in his former position, pressing his face against Chanyeol’s back. “Have you?” he asks timidly, as if he is not really sure he wants to know. Chanyeol owes to be honest with him though.

“Not exactly” he admits, lowering his eyes to the covers dejectedly “I was never considered particularly desirable, you know…” In his homeland, Chanyeol was a _mistake_ , someone people would never wish to associate with, or even worse, he was a _monster_ , someone people thought was dangerous by birthright. He might have received some alluring looks through the glass of the bakery’s window, but no one would ever dare come closer or stay in the same room. No one ever really took an interest in him. Except for that one night.

It was Chen’s doing, as per usual –his friend could take credit for any and all happenings in Chanyeol’s social life since they were little children. Even back then, it wasn’t unusual for the shorter elf to include Chanyeol in his plans; as they grew older, that meant inviting him out with groups of people who didn’t necessarily like him or talk to him much, but at least he wouldn’t be wilting alone by his window night after night –Chanyeol _did_ spend most of his life by that window in the end, but it’s the thought that counts. They were fresh out of school then, and the night dance clubs were a trend, so they joined a group of old classmates and went to dance the night away.

Chanyeol had been doing just that, for a short while not caring about people avoiding him –they could hardly see him in those dizzying lights, let alone recognize him or care to shy away. So, when someone pressed up against him to dance, he didn’t mind; when large hands started wandering on his inexperienced body, he didn’t mind; when the person kissed his jaw and touched lower, he didn’t mind; when he was pressed against the wall of a dimly lit alley with another man rubbing against him, he didn’t mind. No clothes came off, no skin was touched, no kisses were exchanged. It was hurried and nameless, faceless and hormone-driven, and it ended as fast as it started, with no attachment. Only then Chanyeol minded; when he couldn’t stand himself being so open to a stranger, when he couldn’t feel anything left from his first spurring with erotic pleasure, when he didn’t want to believe this was all attachment and making love meant, and so he swore, _never again_.

“I don’t want things to be awkward between us” Baekhyun whispers pleadingly after a long silence, probably thinking Chanyeol is already asleep. “I never hide from you. I know everyone needs time, but I don’t want you to hide from me” His voice is heartbreakingly small, hopeless. His hold on Chanyeol tightens a little, but it feels like there is a world of difference.

Without a single word, Chanyeol wraps his hand around Baekhyun’s on his stomach and holds it securely. Baekhyun freezes momentarily when he senses Chanyeol is still awake, but then he relaxes again, burying his face more against Chanyeol’s back. They can’t hide. Even as the flame flickers in the fireplace and soft shadows dance in the corners of the room, there is nothing obscure between them, and they will be alright. The world spins in beautiful lights. Chanyeol has no words to let Baekhyun know how he feels beside him, and Baekhyun understands without needing to hear it. There is light tying them together.

~~~

“I am sorry the time we were given has been so short” his father says, after the sun has started to set in the sky and it’s time for them to leave. They have taken all the time they could spend with him today, packing their belongings and gifts beforehand and making sure appropriate letters of notice have been sent to their hostess, apologizing they couldn’t meet with her one last time. Chanyeol would like to spend all their remaining time in the layer with his father, instead of formalities, lies and deception threatening to trap them in for who knows how much longer.

By nightfall, everyone will hear of their departure, whispered in rooms and hallways rather than announced in a grand celebration, like the Countess had wanted; they didn’t want to risk staying here for another night, so they will leave quietly before everyone wakes.

When they explained the events of last night to his father, he understood perfectly, an expression of disappointment marring his face, as if he had been expecting something like this to happen, sooner or later –in fact, he seemed unsettled the moment he saw them together in his room, but his very next words were “You’re leaving”. No question, no surprise, just a cold, hard truth. He is a sensible man, and much as he’d love to get to know to his son better, teach him more thoroughly, make friends with Baekhyun and see them both turning into dashing vampire heirs, he prefers parting with them than risking their life.

Chanyeol wonders if the decision feels for his father the same as his mother’s decision felt for her years ago, letting go of something precious to save it. For Chanyeol, it feels like the day he had to leave the city and part with his mother anew, being made to leave behind something precious. How many times will he have to undergo the heartbreaking ritual of saying goodbye to his parents?

It is clear as crystal that he cannot stay in this mountain any more than he could stay in that city, however. Chanyeol is far from finally finding a home.

But he doesn’t mind as much this time; the betrayal, the unfriendliness, the pretenses, it has all been different but the same, and it still can’t touch his hopeful dreams. It’s not that he loves his father any less than his mother, or that this place is worse than the city he left behind, no; both places and people could have made a home for him, if he fit in their corner of the universe. He simply doesn’t. So he has to leave again, continue his search, mark a longer line on the map. He is grateful he has come so far; he has found what he had been looking for when he planned to meet his father, and he leaves a stronger and wiser man. He no longer fears himself.

“Will you be all right?” Baekhyun asks quietly one more time, looking at Chanyeol’s father with unease in his strange eyes and biting his lower lip. After making sure Chanyeol has peacefully reconciled with their forced departure, the safety of his father has been Baekhyun’s biggest concern. Chanyeol has to admit that he is a little worried too, when he thinks that they are leaving his father behind in the vampires’ claws; however, his father has claws likewise. He might need to be careful at first, since their departure might trigger extreme countermeasures, but he has survived decades locked in this room, and has withstood the greatest heartache; Chanyeol doubts they can harm him now.

“Sweet child, is it in your nature to worry?” his father teases Baekhyun with a soft smile, almost cooing at Baekhyun, and then jumping down from his perch on the bookcase –a usual spot for him. Chanyeol can only guess that vampires’ contempt for chairs comes from their instinct to stand on higher ground and be vigilant of their surroundings. His father walks closer to them, his steps refined in a way Chanyeol can imitate but hasn’t had the chance to possess. He stops in front of Baekhyun’s seat beside Chanyeol, the smaller keeping his pleading eyes on the man.

And then he kneels in front of Baekhyun unexpectedly; Chanyeol’s eyes widen. He has learnt during the past week that vampires don’t kneel, unless they’re forced to, because their pride won’t let them yield otherwise. But Baekhyun did nothing to cause this, he doesn’t even seem to think much of it, his eyes still worriedly looking at the older man. Chanyeol looks back and forth between the two, wishing he knew what had been going on during their private meetings –but he has never asked, out of courtesy, so he doesn’t have the faintest idea.

“I will be fine, just like before; and I won’t stay here forever” he reassures Baekhyun, looking into his eyes and taking his hand in one of his, reaching for Chanyeol’s hand with the other. Chanyeol takes the proffered hand and his father pulls them both up to stand a step away from their chairs beside each other. “It might take weeks, months, years, but I will eventually walk out of this room” he tells them seriously, a smart glint in his eyes, which is to be trusted. The man has surely survived –clearly unscathed– worse situations in his centuries of life, than this irregular imprisonment he allows on himself. Then, he turns to look at Chanyeol straight in the eyes –the resemblance always surprises them both a little, but they’ve learnt to look past it. “If you write to your mother, please tell her I love her and that I will see her soon; I cannot spend the rest of my life away from her, because that is simply not a life” his voice always sounds more gentle when he speaks of his mother, it reminds Chanyeol his mother’s glowing smile when she used to speak of his father. Chanyeol nods.

“Be careful” he asks of him; and truthfully, it might be pointless. His father might be as powerful as to literally walk out the door and cross all the hallways to the entrance untouched by the guards. Even if he’ll have to use schemes and bribes and physical force, he has time, the strength and determination to plan his escape. But, in that _one_ off case his father brings peril to himself, Chanyeol worries. When children grow old enough to understand the dangers of the world, they worry about their parents, like their parents once worried for them.

His father nods affirmatively, but his smile telltales his assuredness and conviction. Baekhyun relaxes a little by his side, and so does Chanyeol; his father’s claws might be hidden most of the time but only fools would believe they are not sharp and deadly. At least they have a solid promise he’ll be mindful. Then, his father holds Chanyeol’s hand with his palm upwards and brings Baekhyun’s hand over it, encasing both hands in his hold; Chanyeol’s hand reflexively curls around Baekhyun’s and vice versa, even though the gesture’s meaning is not entirely clear.

“Take good care of each other” he tells them, his voice gaining that stern and profound hue it has when he gives them important advice. He looks at Chanyeol in the eyes meaningfully, his burgundy eyes staring straight to his heart and sending tingles down his spine, and then he looks at Baekhyun in turn, lingering slightly longer, for reasons unknown. When he is satisfied, he sighs and smiles a little wistfully. “Oh, my children” he mumbles under his breath, kissing Baekhyun’s forehead and then Chanyeol’s, his lips warm and careful on their skin; it’s moments like this that a fraction of his true age shows, battered and withered by time.

Chanyeol tightens his hold on Baekhyun, futilely wishing he had had the chance to see more sides of his father before letting him go indefinitely.

~~~

It’s their third day since they left the Black Mountains, and it has been a feat to leave them behind for good; they got out easily enough with the revered and redoubtable Master Park’s blessings, but putting distance between them and that virulent place was not as easy. For the entire first day, they could see the dark mountains cutting sharply into the horizon behind them for as far as they walked, looming over them like an enduring threat to fall after them and snatch them back in their embrace. Only after they walked into a forest, well into the night, did their menacing peaks disappear from sight. Chanyeol’s feelings had been gnawing at him all day and all night, until the next time they could see the horizon; they were already too far by then, far enough to allow themselves to relax a little.

The land around the Black Mountains is unsurprisingly uninhabited and nearly deserted of all life, even the forest is abandoned and struggling to survive. They didn’t follow the easy path when they entered the woods, thinking it was an obvious passageway of vampires to access hunting ground further from their residence, and their choice has led them on a further detour, where the forest is innocent and untouched. The vegetation is growing wildly, some trees bent and growing in strange shapes due to the salty sea winds sweeping over the forest, and the animals are lively and thriving in the area. It’s a different forest from the one he has known all his life, but it works in the same ways and quirks; it’s like they never left.

On their second night, they had to rest, after having spent a day and a half worth of time walking nonstop, awake and alert. They camped on the edge of a small clearing, dozing off in a bundle of limbs, covered with their capes, their now two bags of belongings waiting patiently on either side of them till morning. That morning was the first for Chanyeol’s spirit to settle down, assured of their safety –Baekhyun can still feel his anxiousness nudging his consciousness sometimes, but Chanyeol has returned to his usual self essentially. Baekhyun had been worried that Chanyeol would have regrets for leaving so soon, perhaps a slight melancholy for parting with his father before either of them was entirely ready, but Chanyeol is genuinely calm.

They are walking up a hill –or so it feels like–, the taller walking ahead between the twisted trees on the higher rocks. The sun and blue sky can be seen through gaps in the awkward, leafy branches, bathing Chanyeol’s figure in blinding light and casting a glowing crown on his hair. The winds are carrying his words away as he talks about his meetings with his father, tasting like salt and iodine, the sound of waves crushing on the shore whispering distantly. It’s peaceful, one of those moments when almost everything turns mute, except for two heartbeats, the freshness of the breeze and the blazing sun. Baekhyun closes his eyes and enjoys the moment with a secret smile, staying one step behind, just to breathe it all in before continuing on their path, his short stop unnoticed.

“Souls are like a tangle of threads, a unique assortment of individual components, made of memories and characteristics” Chanyeol is babbling ahead, in the middle of explaining his improved soul-reading skills. It’s an interesting topic, one Baekhyun remembers discussing with him before, when Chanyeol could only read colors and shapes, when Baekhyun was certain he was doomed until Chanyeol promised not to read him. “I can read someone by following a thread; my father said I can read up to twenty threads at once, if I practice, but more than that is unusual. It’s not so much a matter of limited capability, as it is of rare occurrence; most spices don’t live long enough to weave so many independent memories and aspects of themselves. And for those who do, -creatures like us– they don’t always make sense. We’re not cohesive in all aspects. Living such a long life can equal to living many lives, being a different person each time; some threads are dominant but the combinations keep changing. I can read them all, but those which are the least used, or not currently in use, are inconsequential and probably not important enough to read right away. I used to read momentary emotional fractions and sometimes pictures of persistent traits, but now I can read entire lifetimes, Baekhyun!” he exclaims like an excited child, turning around with an amazed smile to look at the shorter.

Baekhyun wishes he had a lifetime to show Chanyeol, too.

“Meeting your father has really helped you” Baekhyun observes with a slight smile of amusement, walking beside Chanyeol now. Initially, feeling a little unsure of the result Chanyeol’s encounter with his father could have, he had been silently reserved on the topic, even though he never mentioned anything to Chanyeol; it wasn’t his decision to make. So he followed him blindly, enduring everything through thick and thin, his heart dreading every moment while they were surrounded by cunning vipers and sly leaches in those mountains; the only time he could rest was when Chanyeol was sleeping peacefully beside him. But now he sees his patience under the threat of danger has been rewarded, and he would do it all over again; Chanyeol looks more confident, relieved, finally understanding himself instead of fearing what he is.

Right now, Chanyeol is giving him a cryptic smile. “I read my father, too” he admits, and Baekhyun raises a brow with interest; Master Park is a very fascinating man, and Baekhyun quite enjoyed their long, unreserved discussions. “I saw him and my mom” Chanyeol says quietly, his gaze dropping from Baekhyun’s eyes to his neck, his smile diming a little and growing tender when he whispers “They were happy.” Baekhyun wordlessly reaches for his hand, lacing their fingers for comfort; happiness is far from what Chanyeol has associated with his parents and his childhood, which sometimes obscures his sunshine. But Baekhyun can see past the melancholic, insecure child, into his brilliant, pure heart. Chanyeol walks a couple of silent, slower steps, looking at the ground and then at their linked hands. “My father told me about you”

Baekhyun freezes, his eyes widening.

“He did?” he matches Chanyeol’s whisper, something clogging his throat. It feels like his heart is no longer beating, his body stunned, his stomach turning uncomfortably and his knees weak. _He promised he wouldn’t tell, he thought I was right, why would he tell Chanyeol, he didn’t even give me a chance to tell him myself?_ The blink it takes until Chanyeol raises his eyes and focuses on Baekhyun’s face is torturously long; Baekhyun swears he can hear every curl of the wave against the rocks and every leaf shaking on its stem. _If Chanyeol knows, if he knows…_

“He said some souls are not meant to be untangled” Chanyeol says casually, giving him a mischievous smile, seemingly oblivious of Baekhyun’s rigid panicked state.

_So, he doesn’t know._

Baekhyun stifles the deepest sigh he has ever felt and blinks a few times to adjust, his body unnoticeably unwinding before Chanyeol has a chance to pick up on his discomfort. He is safe in a life which is still as he knows it, but maybe this has been the first warning bell that he needs to confess his secret to Chanyeol. Maybe not now, not here, but soon. For the time being, he doesn’t even bother with the immense relief running in his veins, instead letting himself indulge in Chanyeol’s good-natured pout.

“You let him read you, didn’t you? This is so unfair; why can’t I? How could you?” he whines childishly, a pitiful expression overtaking his features, but Baekhyun can tell Chanyeol has no real intension of breaking their agreement; he is only entertaining Baekhyun. The latter half smiles and bumps shoulders with him playfully –well, he bumps shoulder-to-arm actually, considering their height difference.

“Your father didn’t exactly ask for permission” Baekhyun defends noncommittally, but it’s the truth; Chanyeol’s father suspected something was off about him from the first moment he noticed him. And if the man’s faultless intuition weren’t enough, Baekhyun’s extinct lineage would be another hint. Of course the man would read him, to make sure his son is in good hands –oh, he couldn’t be in better hands– and he inevitably found out the truth. Baekhyun appreciates his discretion on the first day, when it became painfully obvious that Baekhyun is not what he seems and Chanyeol is blissfully oblivious about it, and Master Park promised to keep his secret, after Baekhyun explained everything on their first private meeting. He can’t think of many instances that could threaten to expose him, but they have reached a point where he _wants_ to tell Chanyeol, so much he worries he might blurt it out in his sleep.

They play around by shoving at each other some more, hands firmly clasped to make sure no one stumbles too far. They are not exactly watching where they’re going in their little bubble, not with Chanyeol chuckling every time he has to stoop a bit to bump Baekhyun’s shoulder with his own, or with Baekhyun squeaking every time he tilts out of balance before Chanyeol reins him in. They end up stepping out of the forest, just one step, but the difference is glaringly noticeable.

They are standing on a cliff.

The sea stretches ahead, light topaz blue in some places, deep sapphire in others, frothing where the wind kicks small waves over the deep waters. The horizon is one straight line, blue on blue, so far it seems solid, even though neither the sea nor the sky is such. The cliff they are standing on stretches left and right, high above the waters, crowned by wild green trees and thorny bushes, like the part they just emerged from. The winds beats the waves to the stone, large swirls of water crushing in white foam in spectacular patterns, catching the sunlight in fleeting rainbows before retreating, and then being renewed. The salty air burns their eyes a little, carrying the chill beyond the vast horizon to their skin and clothes, tangling in their hair.

Baekhyun spots a path down the edge of the rocks, a narrow passage that will lead them across, safely high above the crushing waves; the wind is blowing towards the stone, so it won’t knock them off balance either, if anything, it will keep them plastered onto it. He pulls Chanyeol along as he walks closer to inspect the natural path for any damage or frail parts that might collapse along the way, but Chanyeol tugs his hand back the opposite direction when they get close. Baekhyun turns around to look at him.

“I don’t like that path” he says, voice slightly raised to be heard over the swoosh of the wind. His expression is serious, his eyes glaring at the proposed path fearfully. He is clearly uncomfortable with the idea of crossing it, even though it’d be much faster than walking along the cliff inside the forest.

“Should we go back?” Baekhyun proposes the only alternative. There is only the cliff, the forest and the sea. They need to keep moving, and going back might not seem the most efficient way, but he prefers it, if Chanyeol thinks it best. The taller man keeps his eyes on the cliffside with a stern expression, his dark hair falling over his pensive burgundy eyes before flying away and bouncing back. He ultimately shakes his head.

“No. I just don’t like that path” he says, shaking his head resolutely. It’s not helpful at all.

“Why?” Baekhyun prods, trying to make some sense of the man and guess what they are supposed to do. He doesn’t want Chanyeol to feel uncomfortable, he is not sure what his concern might be in the first place; Baekhyun has never had feared heights, not even when his eyes look down at the world through the stars. But if Baekhyun has to decide the path for both of them, he needs to have a basic grasp of Chanyeol’s thoughts on the matter. Said man glances at him and then back at the sea.

“The sea…” Chanyeol starts uneasily, blinking away stray hairs “I keep thinking that we’ll fall”

“We’ve crossed rougher cliffs with hard ground beneath us, begging us to fall; the sea seems better than that” Baekhyun retorts, but a part of him understands that not all fears are reasonable, and he knows that it would be pointless to talk Chanyeol out of his phobia. Chanyeol shakes his head in denial.

“The sea never seems better than anything” he mutters under his breath, hardly audible over the wind. Baekhyun presses his lips in thought for a moment, eyeing the frightened man; he doesn’t think he has ever seen Chanyeol so reluctant before, but he can sense only mild discomfort from him, no limb-numbing terror.

“Are you afraid you’ll drown?”

Chanyeol glances at him again, and then at the waters, but this time his gaze is more bashful. “I can swim…” he counters feebly “I just never had to swim in the sea” he confesses, his cheeks tinting red in embarrassment. It makes sense that he’s never swum in seawaters; Chanyeol is a forest child, after all. It is unusual that Baekhyun knows how to do something which Chanyeol doesn’t, since he is customarily the one with no experience and endless questions; but look at them now. _Huh, interesting._ Baekhyun doesn’t think Chanyeol should be ashamed of his lack of familiarity with swimming in the sea –Chanyeol has never once berated him or acted condescending in far more striking shortcomings of his own. He finds it cute though, how Chanyeol keeps his gaze low and his cheeks have yet to burn out, looking ruffled in the wind and small like a child.

“Let’s swim then” Baekhyun blurts out, hiding his smile being simply beyond his control. He’d love to teach something to Chanyeol for a change. Chanyeol’s eyes widen in panic, his head snaps up in a blink and his hand clutches Baekhyun’s hand tighter than before.

“No, don’t-” he nearly screams in alarm, pulling a surprised Baekhyun a couple of steps away from the cliff.

“I meant later!” Baekhyun clarifies, realizing that Chanyeol’s sudden burst of fear sprung from his vague statement. He didn’t think to phrase it differently, since he thought it must be pretty self-evident that no one in their right mind would casually jump off a cliff. He meant later, after they cross the path and end up in that lovely alcove of a peaceful and quiet beach his eyes spy down the way. He is not completely insane to throw himself off a cliff and take Chanyeol with him. “There might be rocks down there, I wouldn’t risk it” he reasons, giving Chanyeol a look, as the taller pants the shock out of his system. He seems to believe Baekhyun, after a short staring competition, and he yields to his plan.

“I still don’t think it’s a good idea” he mumbles stubbornly under his breath, following Baekhyun step for step as they start down the path, holding hands tightly and leaning against the stone wall with their free hands. Baekhyun inwardly rolls his eyes affectionately at this big baby, but outwardly he smiles, even if Chanyeol can’t see it –he will surely hear it in his words.

“I won’t let you drown, I promise”


	3. Animae Sine Amore Immortales (3/3)

Chanyeol stands still, watching the water circling his ankles and sloshing around his feet, creating small frothing rivulets that dissipate in a blink. The soft tide and ebb of the water lasts for mere seconds and repeats itself rhythmically, carrying the sand and pebbles as surely as discreetly, so that the seafloor is ever-changing but always similar. With each hypnotizing sway of the waterline, the sand underneath his feet becomes softer, yielding to his weight till his toes are submerged in it; he wiggles them free, watching the golden particles flying in the water and settling invisibly somewhere near. It’s a strange feeling he’s never experienced before, the water silky and the sand grainy, the surface warm and the bottom cool. It intrigues him, wanting to follow the waves to join the sea and leave behind his footprints on the ground which is dragged in rippling lines.

“So,” Baekhyun announces, taking Chanyeol’s hand in his firm hold. Chanyeol’s eyes shift to Baekhyun’s feet beside him, sunken a little deeper, up to the tapering curve of his calf under the water, and then to their warm, clasped hands. Then, they nervously follow the line of Baekhyun’s arm to his neck and, at last, to his grinning face. “Let’s take it one step at a time, alright?” he suggests, with a wide smile of excitement and anticipation on his lips. Chanyeol licks his lips uncertainly but, looking into Baekhyun’s assuring and confident eyes, he nods in the end.

Their progress is slow, like their steps under the surface. For the first noisy, slashing steps, Chanyeol keeps trying to discern the seabed under the spluttering water, but he soon realizes that his feet land on sand just as firmly, even when he can’t see what lies beneath him, so he lets go of that fear and lets the sea currents guide his steps. The few clothes they opted to keep on, to feel more comfortable around each other in the water instead of skinny-dipping, get soaked very quickly, but their heaviness isn’t too uncomfortable; Baekhyun’s wide underpants bloat like balloons around his calves although his shirt sticks to his skin, while Chanyeol’s underpants cling to his thighs, his bare torso shivering a little at the foreign touch of water.

“You’re awfully quiet” Baekhyun’s voice breaks the entrancing sound of soft waves and gentle gusts of wind over the sea. Chanyeol shakes his head as if trying to shake off the daze.

“I’m just…focused” he says, his voice so small it’d be hard to hear if not for the calm sea carrying the sounds on its smooth surface around them. Everything here sounds a little distant like the shore, and echoes a little further as if reaching for the blue horizon. Chanyeol’s eyes stay glued to the water, so transparent on the surface, gaining a soft teal hue further down, until it reaches the white-gold sand, puffing like smoke around their steps.

“Focused doesn’t mean scared?” Baekhyun asks, with hints of hopefulness and uncertainty in his voice. Chanyeol looks at the man beside him, the water reaching his neck, the afternoon sun shining on his concerned features, and he thinks there is no sea he can drown in vaster than this feeling in his chest every time Baekhyun shows he cares for him so beautifully.

“I’m not scared” he reassures the smaller, but Baekhyun doesn’t seem convinced. Chanyeol frowns in thought, trying to find a better way to explain. “I’m not afraid I’ll drown, I’ve just always thought it’d be so easy to…happen” he admits quietly, averting his eyes from Baekhyun’s in embarrassment. He is _not scared_ , he knows how to swim…but everything about the sea seems so unpredictable to a forest child, and that makes him feel vulnerable. So many things could happen and he would be helpless, surrounded by tons of water and adrift in the capricious sea. He doesn’t realize his hold on Baekhyun’s hand has tightened until Baekhyun squeezes back, forcing Chanyeol’s ligaments to relax a little.

“It won’t happen” his voice is steady and certain, tinted with a solemnity he hardly ever expresses and which Chanyeol didn’t expect in such a moment. Chanyeol looks at him, a little surprised. Baekhyun’s features are serious and determined, but somehow soft, and he holds Chanyeol’s gaze without hesitation, regardless of their surroundings. “I won’t let it happen” he repeats, so sure and steadfast that the feeling reaches Chanyeol, tugging at his chest until his heart feels like it’s floating too, safe and peaceful.

“I know” he murmurs, his lips curling into a small smile; he has the best teacher. Baekhyun gradually relaxes, his lips mirroring a reassured smile –and he looks even smaller under the water, even more brilliant under the sun.

They start advancing towards the horizon again, the inexplicable tension between them dissipating quickly. The sea washes away the strange feelings between them and most of Chanyeol’s fears, sparkling prettily like sapphires in the distance. The water gets a little colder and deeper, but it still feels welcoming. Baekhyun claims his hand back at some point, but Chanyeol doesn’t mind, because he has to use his arms too, to move forward, since the water’s resistance on his body is hindering him. Moving in the water feels strange, with muted gravity and imperceptible caresses on the skin.

“How do I know _you_ can swim in the first place?” Chanyeol teases, a wide smile settled on his lips. Baekhyun has mentioned he knows many things, but he also doesn’t know just as many; still, Chanyeol would trust him with anything, a dive into the sea and his fears is nothing much. Chanyeol likes exploring, and the thought that he is experiencing another unique part of the great world out there makes him excited –perhaps even more so because he is sharing the experience with Baekhyun. The man turns to look at him with a raised eyebrow.

“We’re in too deep” he deadpans, but his façade shatters easily after Chanyeol giggles stupidly while trying to hold back his laughter “I _have to_ swim, I can’t reach the ground, silly” he says, smiling through it. _Oh, he’s right._ Chanyeol bursts into chuckles. “Are you floating or still standing on sand?” Baekhyun inquires suspiciously then, trying to see Chanyeol’s figure under the water. He looks like a cute puppy trying to sniff out the truth.

Chanyeol starts moving his arms more effectively and tentatively lifts his feet from the ground. “I’m floating now” he informs, letting the sensation sink in. It doesn’t feel very different from swimming in a lake, to be honest, maybe it’s even easier. Baekhyun approves and smiles cheekily.

“You’re swimming in the sea already” he jests, making Chanyeol chuckle –it feels a little strange, when his muscles contract so little yet his entire body shifts. Baekhyun gives him a moment to get used to moving underwater and then nods to the side as an invitation. “Follow me”

Chanyeol does –he always would– and they swim a little further into the ocean. But then Baekhyun dives under the surface all of a sudden, and Chanyeol is a little lost. _What happened?_

“Baekhyun?” he calls out nervously, the first signs of fear poking his mind. But before he has time to think of awful scenarios, Baekhyun resurfaces almost exactly where he had been a moment ago, hair plastered on his forehead. Chanyeol exhales a sigh of relief, his heart unclenching.

“Aren’t you coming?” Baekhyun asks, pouting in confusion.

“You mean, underwater?” Chanyeol points out, although it’s a bit obvious.

“Yeah” Baekhyun says simply, his eyes looking a bit more cautious than before “I’ll pull you out if anything happens” he promises, even though he doesn’t need to and Chanyeol would never doubt him “Don’t be scared”

“I’m not scared!” Chanyeol retorts for the nth time today, his pride suffering, but his protest comes out in an embarrassing, pitched whine, which makes Baekhyun laugh.

“Okay, big boy” the smaller relents teasingly “Now hold your breath”

They dive together this time, and Chanyeol follows Baekhyun deeper under the surface. It surprises him a little, how deep the water is and how far from the shore they’ve swum. The water gets colder and thicker, and the light gets softer the deeper they go, the sea stretching around them, not only teal near the surface but also a deeper shade of blue blending below it and obscuring the underwater horizon. The saltwater burns his eyes a little, making them sore, and the air in his lungs is starting to feel stale after a while, but it doesn’t feel bothersome. Baekhyun is the first to touch the sand, Chanyeol following his example and digging his fingers in the muddy, loose soil; it’s very cool and granular, and it dissolves into the water as soon as he opens his palm. He thinks he catches a smile on Baekhyun’s lips before the smaller starts swimming to the surface, the light wrapping shadows around his silhouette. Chanyeol pushes his body upwards, reaching for the surface too.

“You’re good at diving” Baekhyun marks when Chanyeol resurfaces, his ears feeling oddly dripping. He pushes his hair out of his eyes with one hand to look at the smaller, catching him flipping his fringe away from his forehead; his hair sticks out everywhere, it’s kind of cute.

“Maybe I’m just good at sinking” Chanyeol counters the praise, making Baekhyun laugh. He knew he can dive –he’s done it in lakes before, his uncommon strength easily sending him deeper than most people have the stamina to reach. But he is not trying to impress Baekhyun, there never is a need for that.

“You _sank_ nicely then” Baekhyun corrects himself in the spirit of their joke. “Let’s swim” he suggests then, glancing around for a moment in search for something “Up to there” he decides, pointing some distance away.

Of course Baekhyun would be the first to reach his imaginary finish line, but Chanyeol makes for a close second; they are both fast by nature and that doesn’t change much underwater. After they have warmed up their muscles and Chanyeol has gotten used to swimming, they play around in the sea, crossing distances from here to there, diving to the seafloor or less, floating limp as if they’re sleeping on the surface of the sea and watching the endless blue sky above them, the sun gently warming their faces. Chanyeol forgets all about the rest of the world spinning around them.

Baekhyun is very playful once he is sure Chanyeol is comfortable enough to put some distance between them, often daring the taller to chase him. Chanyeol always falls for it, even though Baekhyun is faster, and every time he gets _this_ close to catching him, Baekhyun disappears underwater, only to appear a moment later, swimming under Chanyeol and pinching his side, coming above the surface with mischievous giggles.

Chanyeol is enjoying himself, free of fear and other concerns. Baekhyun entertains him and checks on him regularly, splashing around under the sunlight. He is fast, but not a particularly graceful swimmer, his moves naïve and eager; Chanyeol finds it endearing. Besides, he doesn’t want to even think what his swimming must look like, too long limbs hopelessly paddling underwater. Whenever they dive, Chanyeol _sinks_ better, but he lets Baekhyun win a few times; if anything, it makes Chanyeol lose his breath when Baekhyun twirls around underwater to look at Chanyeol floating higher, his hair spreading like an intricate ink stain around his face. A wide, slightly rectangular smile greets Chanyeol, and he swears, even red-rimmed and sore from saltwater, Baekhyun’s eyes twinkle even when the light should be too weak to reach them.

And, if he is honest, Chanyeol gets a little distracted underwater. Baekhyun’s clothes are thoroughly soaked and they cling to his body like a second skin all over, from his neck to his wrists and calves. The white garments are almost transparent, showing all the shadows of Baekhyun’s limbs moving and small hints of his skin. From the dip of his waist to the curves of his ample hips, little is left to the imagination, and Chanyeol is fascinated by the beauty of Baekhyun’s flowing bodylines. He is not proud to admit that he feels _interested_ -and it’s not the first time, but Baekhyun seems more ethereal underwater, and Chanyeol’s hands keep floating dangerously close to touch him, before he snatches them back. His desire –because that’s what it is– leaves a bitter taste in his mouth, reminding him of the events of their last night in the mountains. He pretends he doesn’t notice Baekhyun’s body at all, lest things become awkward; besides, Baekhyun doesn’t seem to pay _him_ any special attention either, even though Chanyeol is topless and his underpants must be just as see-through from the water.

“Should we go out?” Baekhyun asks after another chasing expedition, wafting a little closer to Chanyeol thanks to the ceaseless movement of the sea.

“Sure, let’s go out” he agrees, feeling a little hungry “Race you to the shore!” he barks out of the blue, hoping to surprise Baekhyun and get a head-start in a final race. Sure enough, Chanyeol hears Baekhyun squeak over the splashing of his own long legs beating against the water, propelling him forward. He smiles mischievously and tries even harder to reach the shore.

He starts feeling tired after he has crossed half the distance, and he decides to check if the water is too deep for him to step down; his toes touch the sand and he lets out a breath he didn’t know he had been holding. He pushes himself forward under the water with his arms until it becomes shallow enough for him to step on the sand and keep his head above the water comfortably, the sea level reaching the base of his neck and collarbones. He can’t hear Baekhyun, which is suspicious, because he hasn’t swam past Chanyeol –even though he probably could. But instead of wild splashing and giggles behind Chanyeol, there’s only the calm sound of the sea; it’s bewildering. Baekhyun usually makes a raucous…unless he’s diving.

Realizing it a moment too late, Chanyeol feels Baekhyun slithering close to him underwater and pinching his leg.

“Hey!” he protests, searching around for Baekhyun in the water. He can’t find him, but Baekhyun eventually reveals himself, surfacing behind Chanyeol and latching onto his back.

“You were cheating!” he screeches playfully into Chanyeol’s ear, pulling it a little –it doesn’t hurt, it’s only a little firmer than when Baekhyun plays with his ears before he falls asleep.

“I wasn’t! You didn’t say there was any rule about stepping on the ground!” he defends himself, trying to shake the smaller off. Baekhyun makes a distressed sound and tries harder to hold onto the taller, wrapping himself around him in the process. Chanyeol tries to stay still, to avoid hitting any limb accidentally while Baekhyun is flailing about. “Are you okay?” he asks, curious of Baekhyun’s sudden clinginess.

Baekhyun sighs. “I’m a little tired” he admits, finally finding a way to hold on comfortably. His arms lock around Chanyeol’s neck, draping over his collarbones, and his legs hook on both sides of the taller’s waist. He positively plasters himself against Chanyeol’s back, his torso flush against it, in a way that is a little indecent but very very warm. “Will you carry me out?” he mumbles drowsily against Chanyeol’s shoulder, his lips brushing against Chanyeol’s skin, close to his neck; it raises goose bumps across his chest and arms, but he pretends it’s because of the cooler water currents. “Let’s call it my winner’s prize” he jokes, resting his cheek on the skin his lips were previously gracing. _Why is he so cuddly all of a sudden?_ Could it be because he’s still worried Chanyeol is disappointed over their departure? Is it related to that split second of stone rigidity when Chanyeol mentioned his father has read Baekhyun? Baekhyun _has_ been a little skeptical since then…

“Oh, so you won?” Chanyeol teases, to keep the light mood, and he accepts the fare anyway, making the first steps with Baekhyun’s added weight on his back. Baekhyun only chuckles darkly in response –and Chanyeol forgets to keep teasing him for a real answer, because the husky sound right next to his ear makes his spine tingle and his cheeks flush.

It’s not very easy to move with the additional weight and the water pushing against each move, but Chanyeol eventually makes it to shallower waters. They share a comfortable silence –the smaller might or might not be close to dozing off. Baekhyun’s weight becomes gradually more prominent as the shallow water doesn’t support part of it anymore, rippling around them and against Chanyeol’s skin. Chanyeol has to half-carry and half-pull Baekhyun forward, his hands holding around Baekhyun’s bent knees. The moment the water level drops below Chanyeol’s waist and subsequently Baekhyun finds himself completely out of it, Chanyeol realizes he’s carrying a fully grown man; gravity nearly knocks them over, Chanyeol’s back bending and Baekhyun slipping with a squeal.

“Don’t drop me!” he pleads as he scrambles to stay attached to Chanyeol.

“I got you” Chanyeol reassures him a moment later, leaning a bit forward to keep balance and rearranging Baekhyun slightly on his back. “I got you” he repeats with a sigh of relief after the momentary crises has been averted. With Baekhyun’s full cooperation, they’ve found a new position, safe enough for the rest of the way to the shore, and Chanyeol starts walking again.

It occurs to Chanyeol only after a few steps, that his hands are no longer on Baekhyun’s knees. They have now relocated higher, squeezing under his thighs. It should not be something he’d notice –Baekhyun certainly doesn’t seem concerned at all, holding tightly onto him and enjoying his prize ride quietly, just like before. Chanyeol can’t understand why he feels so flustered about it, why he seems to be progressively more aware of their physical proximity at times, and why the way that Baekhyun’s flesh is warm and plush in Chanyeol’s grasp is tempting him to squeeze tighter; he shakes his head, trying to rid of these ideas. Baekhyun whines a bit, because droplets from Chanyeol’s hair are flung onto him.

Chanyeol carries Baekhyun all the way to the seashore and past the curving zone where the waves lick and crush against the sand, without really noticing.

“Are you planning to travel with me somewhere?” Baekhyun breaks his thoughtful daze with a light voice. Chanyeol takes in his surroundings, realizing that there is no point in carrying Baekhyun any further –in fact, he has already brought him to dry land. “You can put me down now” Baekhyun pats Chanyeol’s hair as if he is rewarding a puppy, the gesture adding to Chanyeol’s embarrassment and his burning cheeks. He carefully deposits Baekhyun on the ground, his body feeling colder and oddly out of balance without the smaller on his back.

“Are we going to stay in the sun to dry?” he guesses, checking with the corner of his eye that their belongings are intact. The heap they left them in under a hollow rock appears untouched –it’s a deserted beach, there wasn’t high chance of anyone stopping by. Baekhyun hums thoughtfully, getting Chanyeol’s attention.

“We could do that…or…” he makes a small pause, looking up at Chanyeol roguishly. _Uh-oh._ “Or you could dry us” he suggests, an excited grin breaking on his face. Baekhyun seems an awful lot cheery about exploiting Chanyeol today, one way or another. Chanyeol frowns in bewilderment.

“And how am I supposed to do that?”

“With your…heat” Baekhyun says meekly, a stark contrast to his cheerful attitude a moment ago, his eyes glancing at Chanyeol’s body before returning to his astounded face, as if he thinks it’s not appropriate to talk about it openly. Baekhyun is being darn cute, fiddling with the hem of his shirt as he nervously waits for an answer, a bashful pink dusting his cheeks; he is hardly ever his shy. But there is no way Chanyeol is doing _that_.

“No, that’s not a good idea” he refuses in a serious, low voice, his frown deepening. Chanyeol can manipulate his body heat as well as fire, but he has never tampered with such a high temperature. His skin wouldn’t burn, but his mind might get hazy, lost in effort, and he could burn something nearby –he wouldn’t want to risk that something be Baekhyun. Last time he got distracted while raising his temperature, he ended up in a bathtub of water boiling and bubbling like a pot around him; he can be very skilled when he is focused, but after a certain point, something else takes over inside him and he can’t control it anymore.

“But the sun is going to set soon, we won’t be dry by then, and _then_ we will have to use your fire anyway! Or we’ll get sick!” Baekhyun argues, jumping into his defense, eyes round and wide as he looks up at Chanyeol.

“So, we’re just talking about the fire?” Chanyeol asks, a little bewildered, hoping Baekhyun means a physical fire Chanyeol can nourish on sand, increasing its heat so they may dry sooner –which is very different from _his heat_ ; maybe he really did misunderstand. Baekhyun shakes his head, water drops flying out of his hair strands like little diamonds, tossed in the amber and crimson light of the setting sun.

“No, we’re talking about heat, your body heat” he clarifies resolutely, looking perfectly serious about this plan; Chanyeol inwardly groans in distaste. Maybe Baekhyun should have a little less faith in him sometimes, or at least understand that Chanyeol’s gifts are a curse too, and they can be dangerous.

“Where did you even get that idea?” the taller asks incredulously, his eyebrows frowning over his eyes seriously. It rings all sorts of warning bells in his head when Baekhyun averts his eyes to the ground and fiddles with his shirt again, uncertain if he should answer.

“Your father told me it’s possible” he admits in a small voice, shy to say it out loud. Chanyeol gasps in surprise.

“He talked to you about me?” he asks, voice pitched in embarrassment. Why would he do that, is that why he wanted to see them separately? Chanyeol suddenly worries about what else his father might have told Baekhyun –because his father read his soul, after all, and his feelings for Baekhyun must be hard to miss–, but it’s not the time to figure that out. Baekhyun keeps his gaze lowered, thinking Chanyeol is mad. Chanyeol sighs in frustration. “Even so, Baekhyun, why would you listen to my father? He knows me a week, he can’t possibly know everything. Besides, he said it’s possible; that doesn’t mean I can do it” he reasons more gently this time, coaxing Baekhyun to open up to him again. Baekhyun blinks a timid glance Chanyeol’s way.

“I think you can” he mumbles, fingers pretty and playing with his wet shirt. Why does he insist so much? Can’t he see the leaps in his reasoning? Chanyeol knows himself, he knows his body well enough by now. He can increase his body temperature, maybe control it well, if he is careful, so maybe he could…Chanyeol’s shoulders drop in defeat; it’s becoming more and more difficult to deny Baekhyun when he is being so cute, now he is even considering the idea.

“How would you know that?” he asks resignedly, even though his deep voice makes it sound more stern, and Baekhyun probably thinks he is still being lectured. He doesn’t lift his eyes from the ground to see Chanyeol’s doubtful eyebrow raised halfheartedly, or he would have realized that he has persuaded Chanyeol once again. Baekhyun shrugs his shoulders, his lips pouting.

“I do”

“Baekhyun” Chanyeol calls strictly but his voice is noticeably gentle this time, and Baekhyun picks up on it right away. Knowing Chanyeol is not really mad changes Baekhyun’s demeanor completely. It’s like he has jolted Baekhyun into action again and the smaller suddenly straightens his body, puppy eyes wide and eager as he looks up at Chanyeol.

“I will help you!” he announces, so certain and confident that they will see this ridiculous, dangerous plan through; sometimes, he knows Chanyeol too well for his own good. Chanyeol rolls his eyes but Baekhyun promptly ignores that, walking closer to stand in front of Chanyeol. “Your father told me there is a way I can help” _of course he would_ , Chanyeol thinks a bit bitterly. Baekhyun touches him with his cold hands, placing them on his shoulders first, eyes roaming around Chanyeol’s shirtless body with purpose. The skin-on-skin contact is surprisingly less flustering than Baekhyun’s intense, probing gaze, even though his intensions are completely innocent.

“What are you doing?” Chanyeol questions curiously when Baekhyun starts pressing his palms and fingers over Chanyeol’s skin, first on his shoulders, then sliding down over his biceps to press on the inner side of his elbows, then reaching for his wrists. The ghosting touches in-between raise goose bumps on Chanyeol’s body which Baekhyun definitely notices with such close scrutiny on him, but he doesn’t say anything about them. It’s a little embarrassing and awkward, but still, Chanyeol lets Baekhyun touch him on any place and in any way he wants, trusting him and not feeling violated by it; he’s not proud to remember, but they’ve been through far more intimate exchanges. Chanyeol’s frown is one of bafflement, Baekhyun’s frown is one of concentration.

“Where is your _fire_?” Baekhyun mumbles, lips pouting and eyebrows furrowing in deeper concentration when his search so far proves fruitless. Oh, so that’s what he is looking for. Chanyeol has to admit, it’s cute how Baekhyun is so lost on the matter, even though there was no way he could ever know without Chanyeol telling him. Chanyeol almost smiles, entertained by Baekhyun’s curiosity, but then Baekhyun’s hands splay over his pectorals all of a sudden, making him flinch, surprised by the sudden kick in his stomach. There is no room for excitement when he is nearly naked.

“Stop touching everywhere” he complains and gently swats Baekhyun’s hands away. Baekhyun’s eyes widen in shock, as if he has only now realized what he had been doing; he looks up at Chanyeol with pink cheeks, an apology ready on the tip of his tongue behind his pared lips, but Chanyeol sighs and finally gives in, taking Baekhyun’s hand –and silencing him in the process. Baekhyun is looking at him with wide, disbelieving eyes, as he presses Baekhyun’s hand over his sternum, right in the middle of his chest. “It’s here” he admits quietly. Baekhyun closes his gaping lips, blinks several times to adjust, and looks back and forth, between Chanyeol’s patient face and his own hand against his skin, looking uncertain.

“Can you make it warmer? Just here” he asks quietly after a while, his voice blending with the whispering sound of crushing waves in the distance. He taps his fingers against Chanyeol’s chest –it tickles a little– and the taller drops his hold; it is no longer necessary, Baekhyun knows now. Chanyeol chews on his cheek pensively, looking at Baekhyun with troubled eyes. Is he really doing this? Baekhyun blinks up at him expectantly; heavens, it’s hard to refuse, to even try to do so, because he trusts Baekhyun and Baekhyun asked this of him and Chanyeol is more infatuated than he thought.

“I can try” he relents reluctantly, burying his toes in the sand nervously. “But please, don’t touch me, I don’t want to burn you” he advises, voice clearly cautious and nervous, his heart beating a little faster under Baekhyun’s hand. Baekhyun shakes his head a little, stubborn as ever –and to think he calls Chanyeol the stubborn one.

“You won’t burn me” he assures the taller, as if he is certain of it. He cannot be so sure, it doesn’t make sense to be so sure. Chanyeol gives him a reprimanding look, but Baekhyun counters with a childishly innocent, wide smile. He definitely knows Chanyeol too well. Those eyesmiles could outshine all the stars in the sky. Chanyeol has no choice but to play by Baekhyun’s rules for now, or his heart will fail him along the way if he tries to deny him, so he chooses to trust Baekhyun, even when he is being completely unreasonable and impulsive.

With one last warning look at Baekhyun, he takes a deep breath and concentrates on connecting to his inner fire. It’s like a bundle of warmth, flames and light in his chest, lazily curling around itself, as if it’s sleeping. He tries to expand it a little, just a little, and it flairs once in bright sparks before it continues slumbering peacefully. He realizes he had closed his eyes only when he opens them again to check for any happenings. He sees an unimpressed Baekhyun, looking up at him as if he wants to knock some sense into his head, which is entirely unfair, because if anyone is missing common sense here, it’s Baekhyun.

“You can do better than that” he chides, poking Chanyeol’s chest a couple of times, as if trying to jostle the fire from the outside. Then he spreads his hand over its former spot possessively, giving Chanyeol an expectant look. Chanyeol groans playfully and closes his eyes to try again; but he opens them only a bit later to peek, and he finds Baekhyun looking very focused on his hand against Chanyeol’s skin, his eyes serious and glinting with anticipation. Chanyeol can play with his fire without closing his eyes, so he keeps them open, his gaze soft as he stares at an oblivious Baekhyun bathed in sunlight. He thinks of how warm he wants to be and tries to unravel his fire accordingly, his spirit peaceful. Baekhyun looks a little out of place in the warm colors of the sun, and Chanyeol thinks he prefers him in the moonlight, but he is still beautiful.

Baekhyun’s eyes widen in surprise unexpectedly, an excited smile fleetingly curling his lips, before he schools his expression to a serious one and looks up to check on Chanyeol. He blushes a little when he catches the taller’s gaze on him and realizes that he has been checking his reactions this entire time, but he doesn’t complain about it –even though his pouting lips beg him to–, and instead he clears his throat to rid of his awkwardness; he has a plan to follow after all.

“Okay, this should be enough. Now spread the heat following my hands, okay?” he instructs, sounding a bit more nervous, but it’s probably because of Chanyeol’s staring eyes rather than evidence of uncertainty. Chanyeol murmurs in agreement, curious to see where this experiment will lead.

Baekhyun’s fingers travel over Chanyeol’s chest lightly, and Chanyeol’s veins throb far under the skin as he coaxes his fire through them, keeping it warm as in the beginning. Slowly, Baekhyun traces patterns over Chanyeol’s skin, around his shoulders and down the center of his back, down the length of his arms and around them, over his chest again to keep the heat the same as it is in the core, and then down his abdomen, over the ridges of Chanyeol’s ribs and the smooth skin of his breathing body. Baekhyun chances a glance at Chanyeol’s face when he reaches the waistband of his soaked underpants, but Chanyeol is far too gone in the daze of his fire to bother. Receiving no reaction, Baekhyun trails his hands over Chanyeol’s lower body, smoothing his fingers over the muscles and curves, all the way down to his ankles and then back up, inside Chanyeol’s thighs and over the small curve of his gluteus muscles, before running them over his hips and upwards, until he reaches his chest again, having covered his entire body in one long, continuous stroke, which lights a different fire in Chanyeol’s body, competing with his core.

“Chanyeol, you’re dry” Baekhyun mumbles then, his voice calm but shimmering with excitement, the sure hint of success lacing his words. He removes his hands from Chanyeol’s body and takes a step back, breaking the spell over Chanyeol, who blinks in surprise. He is dry?

“I am…” he mumbles incredulously, touching the skin on his arms, and then the tips of his also dry hair. His is completely dry. How did he do that? A surge of pride and excitement rushes through him, discovering the thrill of new potential, and he bursts in childish exclamations. Baekhyun chuckles when Chanyeol giggles and waves his dry arms in the air, watching his amazement with stunned eyes and a fond smile.

“Now dry me too!” he demands happily after a moment, throwing himself against Chanyeol with a wide smile. Chanyeol automatically wraps his arms around him for support and Baekhyun tightens his hold around Chanyeol’s waist, the latter realizing a second too late that this could have gone horribly wrong and Baekhyun could have been burnt.

“Baekhyun!” he reprimands leniently “That’s dangerous; don’t jump on me when I’m overheated!” He means to sound serious, because Baekhyun’s safety is a very serious matter, but his voice is still tinted with elation and it comes out as a childish whine. Baekhyun ignores him all the same.

“So warm~” he mumbles, nuzzling his face close to Chanyeol’s chest and pressing his entire body flush against him. It’s no different from when they go to bed, limbs crossing and tangling, only this time there is also bare skin touching, body lines shamelessly clear against each other. Baekhyun feels smaller in Chanyeol’s arms, given their height difference, and his basically exposed body feels warm and supple under his larger hands. Chanyeol shakes his head; Baekhyun is never self-conscious of his body around Chanyeol, he even admitted that he never ‘hides’ from him, and it’s something that Chanyeol is still coming to terms with, but he is not against the idea.

“Unbelievable” he mumbles, sensing Baekhyun’s effort to steal as much heat as possible, but Chanyeol cradles him anyway and shares his heat willingly, running his fingers through Baekhyun’s black hair to dry them faster and watching the silken strands untangling and flowing through his fingers; the gesture earns him a satisfied mumble from Baekhyun. It takes a long while, the sun changing hues gradually to light purple and pink. Baekhyun doesn’t move away, staying pressed against him and breathing against his skin deeply, hands locked behind Chanyeol’s waist so that they can’t be separated without his permission. His weight is limp against Chanyeol, and he occasionally rubs his cheeks on Chanyeol’s chest lazily. “Have you fallen asleep?” the taller asks at long last, half-jokingly, when Baekhyun is dry too. The air is slightly more chilly, but why would they care in their warm little bubble; Baekhyun purrs against him like a content cat, basking in the warmth.

“I’m proud of you” he mumbles languorously, lips just shy of Chanyeol’s bare skin, caressing against it imperceptibly; the taller doesn’t have the time to get flustered by the blazing sensation low on his spine, because Baekhyun turns his head and buries his face in Chanyeol’s chest, his nose pressed right above the core of Chanyeol’s fire, as if he is talking to it. Chanyeol is a little surprised by how intimate it feels. “I’m always proud of you” Baekhyun says more clearly now, and Chanyeol feels his words directly in his heart. Baekhyun is completely dry but he stays in his embrace and Chanyeol keeps him, tightening his hold and pressing a kiss on top of his head in silent appreciation.

~~~

It’s been a tiring day and Chanyeol feels immense relief to be washing all residues of it off his skin. The water washes brown off his hands and the soap replaces the scent of trimmed hay, his hair is a little tangled when he combs his fingers through it, but he manages to wash it thoroughly and then lets it stick to the sides of his face, dripping water to the shower floor. It feels nice when he finally relaxes under the spray of warm water and he closes his eyes, breathing slowly through his nose, his tired muscles gradually loosening in dull soreness as crystal rivulets caress down the length of his body.

They didn’t have to walk much today, since they found a nice old man willing to let them ride at the back of his carriage in exchange for their help to unload his cargo at one small village on the way. Reaching the town by nightfall for a bit of labor seemed a good deal, instead of spending another night in the woods –they had both missed a shower and a proper bed. They spent a good amount of time crowded among rolls of hay, chuckling whenever road bumps rocked the old carriage every now and then, napping on each other and playing games, like tracing imaginary patterns in the clouds. Baekhyun seemed happy –he even warmed up to the horse, reluctantly giving it some water when the old man asked them to, with Chanyeol’s support by his side.

When it was time to unload, both of them helped the old man and the man who received the bundles of hay in carrying them from the carriage to an enormous barn. They carried most of it, by virtue of their superior strength, and the humans praised them for their great help. It was hot under the sun and the work required effort, but they were happy to be of assistance. Baekhyun looked, in all honesty, intriguingly handsome while they worked, smiling and lifting weight effortlessly, sweat glistening on his collarbones, muscles flexing under his rolled up sleeves, his broad shoulders standing straight, steps firm on the ground; of course Baekhyun is as much of a man as Chanyeol, but he had never seen Baekhyun so ruggedly masculine before. Even the memory makes Chanyeol weak in the knees.

They have booked a nice inn for the night, tidy and cozy, even though it’s a little crowded. There is a celebration in town –which originally made Baekhyun cautious, but he seemed completely at ease after they visited the cheerful fair and explored the trinkets in the market. The town attracts many families and newlyweds these days, turning every inn into a lively box of voices and homemade food; when they dined down in the common area of the inn earlier, in the midst of children running around with no care in the world, it had a charming ambiance.

Chanyeol turns off the hot water and steps out of the shower, into the foggy bathroom. He wraps a towel around his hips and glances in the mirror; it was supposed to be brief, since there is not much new to see, but for some reason he takes a moment longer, wiping the glass of steam to look at his reflection. He sees his father’s angles, his mother’s eyes, dark saggy hair falling over his burgundy orbs. He hesitantly lifts a hand and pushes his hair behind his ear, to get a better view of his face; yes, that’s him. His expression is different from the self-loathing reflection he remembers, but it’s him, cheeks flushed, gaze curious. He tilts his head to have a better look at his body; that much hasn’t changed, it probably never will. He is not very muscular but he has toned lines, his bones still a little prominent on his hips like when he was a teenager; his body has a certain grace as a predator, but his limbs have always seemed a little lanky. He traces his fingers down his toned arm over his pale skin and up again, over his shoulder and his wet collarbones, down his chest…

He stops and shakes his head; what is he doing?

Grabbing another towel, he ruffles his hair and banishes the inkling of weird thoughts from his head, wipes down most of the water on his body, his back turned to the mirror. Then, he changes into clean underwear and the soft pants he uses to sleep; unfortunately, his matching shirt for that purpose is in the bedroom with Baekhyun and the rest of their clothes. Hay has a funny tendency to sneak into the tightest of places, in this case, their bags, and strands of it got threaded through the fabrics of nearly all their clothes. Baekhyun finished showering first, so he offered to pick out the swaths from their clothes while waiting for Chanyeol to finish. Now, Chanyeol takes a deep breath and opens the door to the bedroom, feeling a little self-conscious of his half naked state.

Baekhyun is sitting on the double bed in his nightclothes, with his legs crossed in front of him, the bedside lamps turned on to help him discern the colors. There is a pile of neatly folded clothes on an armchair by the open window, the curtains drawn aside to reveal a view of the starry sky, far above the illuminated and decorated streets of the town. The distant noises blend in the background, and their room feels oddly cozy, with the warm glow of the lamps and the small fire in the fireplace, which Chanyeol lit up mostly to help the clothes they washed dry faster, but also for company. He stirs it a little from the distance, watching it curl snugly around the wood and then retreating in bright sparks.

Chanyeol’s eyes return to Baekhyun, who is now staring at him silently. His hands are frozen in the middle of picking a strand of hay off the shirt, raised in front of him, but he’s not even looking at them, as if they don’t exist. Instead, his attention is all on Chanyeol, puppy eyes peering into him with an interested and curious glint, his expression unreadable. His gaze is heavy as his eyes observe him from head to toe, from his tussled hair, over his exposed torso, down his long legs; when they slowly run over his bare upper body a second time, Chanyeol can almost feel an invisible touch on his skin and he shivers involuntarily. Baekhyun has seen him without a shirt before, he has even hugged him in this state, not to mention their last night in the mountains, when he had to undress and bathe a helpless Chanyeol; there is no use in being shy and flustered after all this time. But this _look_ Baekhyun is giving him now feels very different. It connects with something primal inside him, something instinctual he can’t recognize, and it reminds Chanyeol that a part of Baekhyun is a vampire, not as innocent and harmless as he looks.

The moment of this strange tension is gone in a blink, and Baekhyun is back to his usual self.

“I’ll be done in a bit” he reassures Chanyeol, showcasing the taller’s sleep shirt in his arms. He gives Chanyeol an easy smile, as if he weren’t staring at him positively ravenous a second ago, and he goes back to picking hay off the shirt unperturbed. Chanyeol watches him closely for a moment, his heart beating behind his teeth; maybe he is reading too much into it. Maybe that gaze was nothing like it seemed. Baekhyun looks normal enough now, as he keeps pulling on pieces of hay, lips pouting and hissing warningly at the inanimate objects. He looks endearing as ever, and Chanyeol has no reason to suspect something is amiss –he is woefully tired at the moment to be suspicious of anything concerning the person he trusts the most.

He crosses the short distance and tentatively sits on the other side of the bed –a double, since there is no need for two– and lies down, his body straightening and reminding him how sore he will be tomorrow. Baekhyun lets him be for now, preoccupied with the shirt, and Chanyeol sighs, tuning out all obscure voices and heartbeats from outside, but a small chatter of songs and conversation remains at the back of his head. His eyes travel over the corners of the room and across the ceiling, the clean and tidy interior looking comfortable and welcoming. The sheets under his body are soft and the bed feels like a luxury after the hard ground of the seaside forest.

Soon enough, his eyes find their way back to Baekhyun, sitting beside him and focusing cutely on a stubborn hay needle which doesn’t want to dislodge from Chanyeol’s shirt, no matter how insistently Baekhyun’s pretty fingers pull on it. Heavens, how dependent he has become on Baekhyun’s attention, that he feels neglected and bored without it; at least he can look at Baekhyun unreservedly in this mushy predicament. Chanyeol smiles at the soft pout and the concentrated frown on Baekhyun’s face; the faint lights from outside the window fall on his smooth skin and make him look like moon dust has bathed him with care. He gazes at him for a while, but he turns on his side, his back facing Baekhyun, before the smaller picks up on it. It would be difficult to explain, it’s not yet time; but Chanyeol is getting closer to the right time, he knows it.

Some time passes quietly, and Chanyeol is almost drifting to sleep, having lost track of time in Baekhyun’s steady heartbeat, when he feels a gentle touch on his skin. Baekhyun’s fingers are a little colder, as always, and he can feel them very vividly against his bare skin, as they slowly trace over his lower back, under his right ribs. It is unexpected and Chanyeol trembles a little, turning his head around to look at Baekhyun but not moving the rest of his body, so the touch remains. Baekhyun is not looking at him, his eyes focused on the area he is touching, caressing lines over and over, mesmerized.

“How did you get your tattoo?” he asks absentmindedly, his fingers connecting the dots on Chanyeol’s skin, raising goose bumps. It should be the first time Baekhyun sees his naked back, so this must be the first time he notices the tattoo; they talked about tattoos and piercings a few nights ago, but Chanyeol doesn’t remember having mentioned his ink pattern at all. Baekhyun looks very interested in it.

“At home, when I was still a teenager” he answers honestly with a smile; he knew Baekhyun would ask about it someday. Baekhyun looks up at him inquiringly, his hand laying flat over the markings on Chanyeol’s skin, probably covering it entirely; Chanyeol doesn’t mind the touch, because the tingles it sends up his spine are not entirely unpleasant, not at all. “I was at home one day and a traveler knocked on our door; he said he was a vampire, old enough to survive the daylight, but he was exhausted and he needed a place to stay till the sunset. So, I let him in” Baekhyun frowns, a little troubled and bewildered by the course of the story, but Chanyeol continues lazily.

“He was the first vampire I ever met. We spent that one evening together –my mother was at work–, and he was polite, nice, refined. I had never seen such a person before. It was the first time someone looked at me with interest, and he was kind to me; for a child everyone hates and overlooks, it meant a lot to be treated as a valuable being. He also said he knew my father; I was thrilled” Chanyeol chuckles at the epiphany that flashes in Baekhyun’s eyes. “My mother always talked about how my father was, but never about _who_ he was. I was so eager to learn more about him, and I tried to read the man for more information. Heavens, it was awful” he shakes his head at the memory, a knowing smile playing on his lips.

The first time he tried to read a vampire, and the first lesson about not reading any spices he comes across, was a burst of confusing, overwhelming, unidentifiable _things_ that flooded his consciousness, making him feel sick. He was not prepared or capable to read such a lifetime, not even snippets of the man’s complicated existence, which is why his father had to exert great effort to convince him to try reading a vampire again when they were practicing together in the mountains. In that aspect, Chanyeol has improved greatly, even though his training period was short; but, if he managed to read his father, and knowing the right way to do it, he doubts there are many people he can’t read anymore.

“I got more than I bargained for” he continues his story, remembering that there is still a question to be answered. “The man’s visit was not as random as it seemed. He was in love with my father, had been for decades. He had come to our house to see what the woman who stole my father from him was like. He was heartbroken when my father bound my mother; and I had let him in” Chanyeol lowers his gaze; perhaps he was only an impressionable teenager at the time, deprived of his father and eager to be accepted by someone, anyone, but he still thinks it was one of his biggest mistakes to let the man in so recklessly. He was so naïve; the man could have hurt his mother or make her feel even more miserable than she were.

“Is that man the one your father meant, when he told us that _a friend_ had met you?” Baekhyun guesses and Chanyeol looks at him to nod in confirmation.

“I thought he might hurt my mother and I begged him not to. He said he would never do that, because he would never wish to hurt my father in any way; he might have been in pain, but he respected my father’s decision and valued his happiness above all else. He stayed true to his word; when my mother came home at dusk, he looked at her, greeted her politely, and then he left quietly, and never came back. I told my mother he was only a traveler who asked for water, and never explained to her anything further” Chanyeol hasn’t kept many secrets from his mother, but he wisely kept the details of that encounter from her, knowing they would upset her.

Baekhyun’s fingers twitch on Chanyeol’s skin and he looks a little conflicted. “But, you were a child, all alone. He could have hurt you” he says, his voice swinging strangely between anger, nervousness and desperation. Chanyeol realizes that Baekhyun is worried for him, even though that encounter is well into the past; he gives the frowning, shorter man a reassuring smile.

“I didn’t think of it at the time; I was thrilled to meet someone of my kind. He hadn’t expected to find a child, so obviously belonging to my father either. He seemed to find me endearing –maybe because I take after the man he loved. He was very nice to me; the _only one_ nice to me” Chanyeol explains, his voice soft into the night. He remembers how intrigued he was by the vampire’s appearance and his polished manners, his multiple piercings and the tattoos that were peeking under his sleeves –Chanyeol had never seen one before. In retrospect, some of his questions might have been somewhat insensitive due to his ignorance, but the man was only happy to smile and answer honestly, as if he owed Chanyeol the truth, as if in those moments he was trying to make up for the father figure Chanyeol never had.

“And the tattoo?” Baekhyun prods curiously, his fingers tapping against Chanyeol’s skin as if to remind him of his original question. Chanyeol sometimes forgets about it, merely because he doesn’t see it often; he was a teenager when he decided on it, and he obviously didn’t want to anger his mother, so he chose a place on his body that wouldn’t be easily visible –and maybe he chose a little too well.

“It was a parting gift from that man” he says with a wide smile, the memory of the pain having subsided to an endearing rite of passage after so many years. “He said that, even as a hybrid, I was more of a vampire than most due to my ancestry, and as one, I should have at least one marking. He said I should bear it on my skin with pride, especially because of my bloodline” Baekhyun’s palm is removed as he looks down to inspect the ink again, and Chanyeol smiles privately; he showed his tattoo to his father back at the layer, and the man looked so proud, almost in tears. Chanyeol wonders if he will ever see that vampire again, if only to thank him for being so kind to him, even after so many years, bringing joy to his father.

Baekhyun presses his pointer finger over each of the seemingly random black specks on Chanyeol’s skin, lingering on one. “Is this the sun?” he asks quietly, softly rubbing his finger over it. Chanyeol knows what he is talking about; one of the ink droplets has an intricate pattern around it, much like a sun, in comparison to the rest. Chanyeol is surprised Baekhyun figured right away that his tattoo is about celestial objects instead of trying to guess other patterns; but then again, Baekhyun can read the stars. He would know them when he sees them.

“That is the alpha star in the constellation of the phoenix” he says, and Baekhyun’s eyebrows quirk a little upwards as he nods in understanding, his eyes remaining captivated by the design. As if he suddenly recognizes the constellation, his finger traces the lines with great accuracy, to paint it in-between the star points on Chanyeol’s skin. “Ankaa is a red giant, and it has a small stellar companion. It’s the brightest star” Chanyeol explains, uncomplaining, while he lets Baekhyun explore with his fingers around the area of the inked stars, as if it’s not Chanyeol’s naked body he is touching.

“Is it really red?” Baekhyun asks innocently, flicking his gaze at Chanyeol face. He looks fascinated, tilting his head to look at the constellation in a different angle. Chanyeol can’t fight a smile, noting his resemblance to a puppy, his black hair falling over his eyes a bit.

“Yes, it’s burning” he answers. He thinks it’s befitting that the brightest star in the cluster which is associated with the fire bird is also burning brightly, on the verge of combusting and being ‘reborn’ as a white dwarf. The star’s fire, the phoenix’s fire, Chanyeol’s fire, they make for a romantic pattern in the universe –or so a certain vampire thought years ago. It might seem artless at first sight, but it takes great craftsmanship to replicate a constellation, and Chanyeol sees the subtle beauty of it; he doesn’t mind it on his skin, it’s something he can truly bear with pride.

Baekhyun lightly runs his fingers over the stars one more time, his light touch straying towards Chanyeol’s ribs and abdomen, making his spine quiver noticeably. He turns on his back to cover the shuddering of his body with a bigger move, but it seems futile to try to avoid the proximity, because Baekhyun rests his hand over Chanyeol’s stomach gently, without even noticing. It’s a simple touch for Baekhyun, not even meaningful enough to be a gesture, but Chanyeol notices the intimate warmth against his skin, and it makes him blush. The darkness of the room conceals it, however, and Baekhyun is too invested in their conversation to notice Chanyeol’s quicker heartbeat and shy cheeks.

“The stars have colors?” he asks inquisitively, his round puppy eyes opening wide in wonder. Their different colors look strange in this light, and they might still be beautiful, but Chanyeol can’t read them. He lifts his right hand and gently pushes Baekhyun’s black hair away from his forehead, shedding a bit more light onto his expression.

“Yes” he answers patiently, smiling up at him a little. He likes being around him when Baekhyun is so open and his reactions are so pure. Baekhyun studies Chanyeol’s face for a few long moments, his expression slowly transforming to a pensive one. His eyebrows crease over his eyes, his lips are pressed together, and the look in his eyes is fathomless. Chanyeol waits quietly, gazing back at him. Baekhyun bites his lip hesitantly, his hand fidgeting on Chanyeol’s stomach momentarily.

“What color do you think I would be?” he asks, his eyes uncertain and vulnerable, his voice indecipherable. Chanyeol can’t guess why, but Baekhyun has that look again, one Chanyeol hadn’t seen in a while; he is insecure. The question seems harmless, but it must be important to Baekhyun, if he looks so tenderly, fearfully exposed. Chanyeol can sense Baekhyun’s feelings, coiled together protectively and standing still, as if waiting with bated breath behind the looking glass to his heart. For some reason, Chanyeol thinks this is the most insightful moment he has ever had with Baekhyun, and yet, he can’t decipher it. It’s like Baekhyun is completely unraveled, open and raw for Chanyeol to see, all the way through to his soul, but Chanyeol’s eyes _can’t_ see.

He takes a moment to think about his answer, his surprised eyes turning ruminative, all the while focused on Baekhyun. It would be easy to name a color if he could read his soul, but that is out of the question. He could imagine one, a color that might suit Baekhyun, perhaps the color of his eyes –but no, Chanyeol needs to find a color that actually depicts Baekhyun, not Chanyeol’s impression of him. He thinks of all the colors he knows, the pretty and the subtle ones, picking those that seem fitting and trying to combine them.

“I have no name for the color that comes to mind” he decides at last. He has a color in mind, a very specific one, but he can’t describe it. Baekhyun lets out a distressed sigh, his shoulders drooping in disappointment, his eyes wandering around the pillows frantically searching for something invisible. Chanyeol doesn’t think his answer assured Baekhyun at all.

“Is it pretty?” he asks urgently, looking at Chanyeol straight in the eyes. Chanyeol feels a little lost. “My color, is it pretty?” Baekhyun repeats the question, his voice still inexplicably anxious and very melancholic; it’s a confusing combination. Baekhyun’s lips curl sadly, his hand wound in a fist on Chanyeol’s stomach.

“The prettiest I’ve ever imagined” Chanyeol blurts out honestly, not bothering to hide the compliment. It’s the unfiltered truth, and he hopes his sincerity comes across to Baekhyun. Chanyeol loves the stars, he has loved daydreaming about them ever since he was a child; his favorite pictures were nebulae and constellations, celestial waves and the sparkles around the moon. He has no name for everything he sees, and regretfully, Baekhyun’s color will remain a mystery to stranger eyes, but Chanyeol will admit, proudly and unashamedly, that Baekhyun belongs with the stars in his mind; he is someone that Chanyeol loves. Baekhyun and the stars are not exactly the same, of course. The stars sometimes hide but they never disappear, they are always alone but never lonely. Baekhyun is not a star; he sometimes disappears but he never hides, he’s never alone but always lonely. That is why Chanyeol’s soul is so fond of him.

Baekhyun’s expression relaxes a bit, his fist loosens, and his emotions flow in a relieved sigh inside him. Chanyeol keeps looking at him pleadingly, bewildered and helpless, but as soon as Baekhyun’s lips part to speak, a hollow noise and colorful light fills the room.

Naturally, whatever private moment they had been having is lost, and Chanyeol feels oddly like a connection between him and Baekhyun is severed, like the passageway to Baekhyun’s soul has shut. He doesn’t feel very pleasant about it, but there is no hope of return. Baekhyun turns towards the window, intrigued and a little shocked by the unusual interruption, and he stares into the sky curiously, until the next burst of colorful sparks paints a red flower in the air. Baekhyun’s eyes widen and he gasps in awe.

“What is that?” he asks, paddling to the other side of the bed closer to the window, to have a better look. He sits on his heels and looks up expectantly, eyes searching for the next spark in excitement; he looks the perfect image of a puppy. Another spark flies into the air, bathing his profile in gold and reflecting sparkles in his wide eyes.

“Fireworks” Chanyeol says, but it is of little importance whether Baekhyun has heard him. The fireworks show must be part of the celebration in this town, colors painting the night sky for moments before they fade. Chanyeol has seen fireworks before as a child, during a celebration back in his city, when a wandering merchant had brought some of them and lit up the night sky over the valley; Chanyeol watched the show with Chen on the rooftop tiles of his home, exclaiming and cheering for every spark. But the show holds little interest for him now; he’d rather look at Baekhyun, stunned and amazed by the fireworks that illuminate his face in all the colors of the rainbow.

They are silent for a long while, except for the strangled exclamations at the back of Baekhyun’s throat, which occasionally leave his gaping lips if a firework is more intricate and surprising. Chanyeol watches him with a smile, thankful that Baekhyun doesn’t care to glance at him, or he would see very clearly Chanyeol’s feelings for him, written all over his face. For the while he doesn’t see though, Chanyeol lets his affection come to the surface and float peacefully, out the open window and into the night sky, beckoning the stars to shine brighter for the two of them.

Well after the show finishes and the distant cheering of the crowd is no longer heard, the people dispersed and tucked into their beds, Baekhyun doesn’t budge from his spot, staring out the window into the night sky. At first he had been expecting more fireworks, but then his gaze changed, becoming that mournful, longing mien that speaks of great pain. It breaks Chanyeol’s heart every time he sees Baekhyun like this, but he doesn’t know how to help him; he only sees a wounded and small Baekhyun, a very sad mystery hiding in his soul which Chanyeol has yet to uncover.

He sits up on the bed slowly and scoots behind Baekhyun, enclosing him in his arms as he hugs him from the back without speaking a word, and Baekhyun leans his back against Chanyeol’s chest willingly, his hands curling around Chanyeol’s on his front. Chanyeol rests his chin on Baekhyun’s shoulder and looks up at the stars, silently asking them what they’ve done to Baekhyun to make him so sad, and if perhaps they could forgive him, and give him back his smile.

“We can’t stay here, can we?” Baekhyun mumbles a little regretfully after a while, his eyes now looking at the town rather than the stars. Chanyeol notices the sad slope of his lips in the dim lights from outside, parts of his face swathed in strange shadows from the bedside lights. Chanyeol presses his lips sadly, his heart aching a little.

It’s a pretty town, friendly and welcoming, but they are still too close to the vampires to be safe, and Chanyeol keeps having this ugly premonition; so no, they can’t stay here. Chanyeol is deeply sorry he can’t give Baekhyun a nice, happy life in this town he likes, but they can’t stay. He doesn’t answer the question, certain that Baekhyun knows the answer already. Instead, he presses his cheek against Baekhyun’s nape and closes his eyes, in a way, asking for forgiveness. Baekhyun carefully turns around in Chanyeol’s arms, his entire body brushing against Chanyeol, until he settles again; he gives Chanyeol a proper hug, his dainty hands smoothing up and down the taller’s bare spine comfortingly. “Don’t be sad”

~~~

The weather is strange today; the sun is shining brightly but there is a blanket of clouds all across the sky, thin and white, like combed wool. The light filters through it, deflecting in a pale haze all around which makes colors muted, and the air is a little chilly for the season, but the climate is mild enough and comfortable to travel; the only source of discomfort are the washed out hues of nature under the sickly light, which refuses to shine brighter even at the elevated altitude they are treading. They have entered an abandoned city in the grey derelict mountains, all built in rock and long forgotten. It looks like it was once wealthy, a central point of commerce, which withered and quietly expired after the new road was built –but they are trying to avoid open passageways, thus they are the first visitors in this deserted place after many long years.

It is a beautiful and quiet place, strangely befitting the sinister setting. The sky looks pale grey over the rocky mountaintops, but it comes together in a soft symphony over the city. The large rocks from which it has been built, varying in shade from the exposure to the sun and wind, are almost in perfect condition, standing in arched entranceways and tall walls, bowed bridges and domed towers. The entire city looks like a castle of open spaces, connected by graceful ribbons of passageways and stairs, which lead to the many different levels on the mountainside. Every point they pass is empty, of people and objects and animals, only pale trees and a few purple flowers, sprouting from the walls where the stones have shifted, remaining to welcome them.

Baekhyun is walking ahead, exploring, his steps echoing slightly to accompany the distant winds. His eyes are wide as they roam over the arches and ascending long lines of the city, his lips parted in wonder at the carved recesses on the ceilings of short tunnels and the graceful columns lining hallways, their open windows overlooking the city below. It’s an impressive and lifeless place, confusing like a maze open to the white sky, so unrestricted that it calmly invites you to jump off of its pristine edges far above the tilted ground.

Chanyeol walks a few steps behind, devotedly watching Baekhyun pensively, but he can’t tell what his thoughts sound like. In almost a trance, he sees Baekhyun walk into the hazy sunlight after the darkness of a tall arc over their heads, and starting to cross an arched bridge made of white stones, with no railing, open to the emptiness on both sides. Baekhyun looks up and stops at the middle point, where the branches of a tall tree rooted on a nearby rock spread their shade. It is covered in pink flowers which look like tiny magnolias, blooming belatedly out of season against all odds, offering a splash of color in the midst of their toneless surroundings. The petals have started falling, slowly wafting in the air towards the ground, showering Baekhyun before they settle on his hair, by his feet, or being carried away in the subtle wind currents. The shorter man extends his arms under the falling petals.

“It’s snowing” Baekhyun giggles, turning around to face Chanyeol, who is still standing at the base of the bridge. The pink petals which had settled on his cloak fly up in a whirlwind as he twirls, falling from his black hair, the light sparkling in his blue and silver eyes under the shade. His lips, soft like the flowers, are stretched into a rectangular smile, his cheeks squishy and curving his eyes into crescent moons. He looks excited and joyful, pleased with such a childish trick; Chanyeol would manipulate the tree and extend it over the bridge to rain more flowers and happiness down on Baekhyun, but he doesn’t want to touch such an old and persevering life, out of respect for its decades of survival stranded on a rock.

“They are beautiful, aren’t they?” Chanyeol muses, stepping onto the bridge and walking closer to Baekhyun, bringing himself under the falling flower petals. Some land right into his open palm, light and velvety, and he thanks them inwardly before blowing them into the air, away from the bridge. Baekhyun mimics him with endearingly puckered lips and puffed out cheeks, gently combing some more flowers out of his hair afterwards.

They cross the bridge together with small smiles on their lips, and then walk across a road so wide it could be a square, lined here and there with gaping windows, which might have been shops once. There is a tall tower based on the wide opening that leads to the other side of the tunnel running parallel to the road they just crossed, and when Chanyeol looks up, he sees a spiral of stairs, many lazy steps following the curved wall of the tower to the top, where rays of light are coming in, a promise of an exit or an astounding high view. He stops for one short moment, glancing at the unsuspecting Baekhyun ahead, and then he smiles mischievously.

“Race you to the top!” he dares the shorter, not waiting for a reply before he starts running to the stairs. There is a disbelieving gasp and a playful squawk behind him a moment later, when Baekhyun catches up to their game, but Chanyeol is already up the first stairs –he gave himself the courtesy of a head start by surprising Baekhyun, which is not entirely fair, but neither complains.

Baekhyun catches up effortlessly, muttering in a playfully indignant way under his breath about Chanyeol cheating nonexistent rules again, and Chanyeol chuckles, a little out of breath as the exertion starts the higher they climb. The stairs might seem endless from the bottom of the tower, but it is clear there is an exit at the top as they run in loops, almost next to each other. They pass by small windows with a view of the city, which serve as a reminder of how fast they are advancing, distancing themselves from the ground more and more in almost no time. Chanyeol’s long legs allow him to jump two steps at a time, but even that can’t help him win against Baekhyun’s swift legs. Soon enough, Baekhyun is running up the stairs next to him, giving him a dirty look that makes Chanyeol chuckle again, before the shorter breezes past him with a triumphant smile.

Chanyeol has about ten more steps left to the top, and Baekhyun finishes the race clearly first, jumping out of the tower into the abundant misty light of another stone square, his cloak fluttering behind him like a cape. Baekhyun laughs, a little winded for breath, cheering for his victory with his arms raised in the air. He has properly and indisputably won this time, in spite of Chanyeol’s cunning start, so the taller ought to congratulate him. Baekhyun slows down to a jog not far from the tower exit, staying back to wait for the taller while catching his breath, and Chanyeol slows down a bit, but still walks faster than usual to reach him with a smile on his lips.

He is almost next to Baekhyun and about to speak when Baekhyun abruptly extends his arm in front of Chanyeol, blocking his path. The surprise makes Chanyeol’s heart thump, the words he had been planning to say forgotten, and he looks at Baekhyun in bewilderment.

“Something is not right” Baekhyun whispers, his eyes suddenly sharp, scanning the open area around them left and right, careful and vigilant. The sudden change from his former cheery attitude is so drastic it’s alarming, and Chanyeol remains quiet in his spot, not daring to move a muscle. Baekhyun’s expression is serious, his lips set in a severe line, his cheeks a little pale, his eyes watching even a petal fluttering in the wind with lethal intent. He looks ambushed, his heartbeat resounding louder in his chest, and his anxiousness transfers to Chanyeol, who looks around uneasily, his stomach knotting uncomfortably.

Nothing seems out of the ordinary, the buildings and squares empty and frozen in time, until an unnatural gust of wind hits their faces, messing up their clothes and hair.

“You’re a sharp little munchkin, aren’t you?” a familiar voice says, sounding amused. Chanyeol unhinges his lashes and opens his eyes now that the strong wind is gone, to see Sehun standing in front of Baekhyun in his usual black attire and tussled white hair. He has an almost mocking smirk on his lips, his eyes glinting in a way Chanyeol has learnt to fear; the wind is obviously up to no good and they are alone in the middle of nowhere. How did their joyful game come around so fast? Baekhyun doesn’t cower and glares daggers at the wind, in spite of Sehun’s inappropriate, intimidating proximity as he towers over the shorter.

“Why are you here?” Baekhyun demands through his teeth, his patience running thin. He looks about enraged, his eyes hard and unforgiving on Sehun. Chanyeol knows the two of them never quite got along, and he has seen them exchange icy glares which were anything but friendly, but he has never seen Baekhyun so belligerent before. His expression warns that one wrong move will be the end of their tentative truce of indifference and it will turn into a full-fledged fight. More than Sehun’s unannounced and unexpected appearance, Chanyeol is confused by Baekhyun’s uncharacteristic hostility –and the fact that Sehun doesn’t seem to care about it.

“I can find anything I want” the blond answers nonchalantly, shrugging his shoulders, but his casual, unaffected tone doesn’t match his cold, livid stare, which hasn’t shifted from Baekhyun, as if Chanyeol doesn’t exist. There is great tension brewing in the air between the two men, which is almost tangible static against Chanyeol’s skin, making the hair at his nape rise.

“And what _do_ you want?” Baekhyun challenges darkly, his fangs visibly longer than before, just a bit, his gaze ghoulish and icy. _What is happening?_ Baekhyun’s body is preparing for a fight and Chanyeol is trapped in his own body due to his fear and confusion; he can’t even find his tongue to utter a word. He can only watch in dread as the situation escalates between the two men, for unknown reason, praying that Baekhyun won’t be harmed by whatever Sehun has in store specifically for him, as if seems.

“I wanted to play” Sehun hisses this time, openly expressing his pent up frustration and anger towards Baekhyun, his eyebrows frowning on his smooth forehead. _Again with the games?_ Chanyeol is not sure what Sehun is referring to exactly, but his games only ever mean destruction; he wonders if there is anything he can say to appease him or deflect his wrath, anything to convince him to leave them alone, because his emotional outburst is not a good omen. The blond man stoops to level his face with Baekhyun’s, ending up too close for comfort, but neither of them flinches from their staring match. “You should have played with me” he whispers, voice a mixture of condescension, rage and twisted pleasure.

“Sehun, what are you saying?” finally, Chanyeol finds his voice to ask, interrupting the puzzling conversation of the two other men. He is expecting to be ignored in part, since neither has given him any attention so far, but Sehun seems obliging to hear him, and he slowly turns to Chanyeol, his expression changing completely to an amicable smile; Baekhyun’s lip twitches in a silent snarl, his eyes slitting Sehun’s exposed throat, but he covers it soon, returning his bitter glare at the wind.

“Chanyeol, darling” Sehun calls gaily, acknowledging his presence for the first time since he appeared out of thin air. It’s most unsettling, how differently he treats Chanyeol, because more than his own safety, Chanyeol values Baekhyun’s, and it doesn’t seem like this encounter will end well. Chanyeol won’t hesitate to attack Sehun himself if he has to, in order to protect Baekhyun from whatever vicious plan of revenge Sehun calls a ‘game’. Chanyeol doesn’t relent from his watchful stance, and he doesn’t return the smile; Sehun is a fickle thing with too much bottled up anger and frustration, so he is not to be trusted. Sehun doesn’t seem to mind his uncivil treatment, keeping the pleasant smile on his lips. “It’s nothing personal with you, believe me; and I won’t stick around to watch”

Baekhyun’s eyes widen and a small gasp of horror escapes his lips. “What have you done?” he asks in vane, the only answer to his question being a smug smirk on Sehun’s lips as he turns to give Baekhyun a disdainful look. Chanyeol’s frown deepens, his thoughts chasing each other restlessly in his head; what has Sehun done, why did he say he won’t stick around, what could be personal with Chanyeol or Baekhyun? It is evident on Sehun’s face that he feels perfectly satisfied to avenge the two who, he thinks, have in some way scorned him; Chanyeol has seen traces of that look when Sehun recalled some tales of his past that he thought were entertaining, but Chanyeol always found them downright horrid.

“Good luck, boys” is all Sehun says composedly with a superior smile, taking in their terrified expressions as he makes a few steps backwards. He chuckles to himself and disappears in a gust of wind before either of the two can react, swirling towards the sky and away from the city. Chanyeol makes a useless step to follow him before his mind registers that Sehun is no longer walking away in his bodily form, but even so, he doesn’t go far, because Baekhyun’s extended hand, which had been shielding him from Sehun all this time, keeps him back once more.

“Stay behind me” Baekhyun murmurs under his breath, his tone serious. Chanyeol gives him a confused look; why would he hide behind Baekhyun? Even if there is some sort of imminent danger on their path, he’d rather face it beside Baekhyun. But Baekhyun doesn’t even see Chanyeol’s expression, his eyes too preoccupied with scanning the open area around them, as if still sensing that something is wrong right then and there.

When Baekhyun’s eyes suddenly zero in on something in the midst of walls and stairs made of empty lines, Chanyeol sees his pupils shift and glint, and his knees turn to jelly.

They are in trouble.

It isn’t very difficult for Chanyeol to find what Baekhyun is looking at when he turns his head, and the blood freezes in his veins. Where there was empty space before, there are now five cloaked figures, standing in formation and blocking their way. Their dark silhouettes stand out against the pale background like stark blocks of ink, menacing and ominous; five pairs of vampire eyes are watching every minuscule move and bated breath of Baekhyun and Chanyeol. It’s almost impossible to believe that what has been Chanyeol’s constant fear ever since they left the Black Mountains has come true. Sehun, that foolish irrational child, allied with the vampires and led them straight to Chanyeol and Baekhyun, in leu of his revenge.

A few long moments pass in stillness and silence, and no one can tell how many they are exactly or how tensely they last. Each side stares at the opposite, analyzing its strengths and weaknesses, trying to guess the next move, unbelieving of their predicament; the vampires couldn’t be so lucky as to meet the people they’ve been searching for days at such a conveniently quiet and secluded spot, and the hybrids couldn’t be so unlucky as to stumble onto the very people they have spent so much effort to avoid. But the situation is as such, and it’s trembling in balance dangerously. They wish for opposing goals, therefore the outcome can’t be favorable to both sides, and Chanyeol hates to face the fact that they are outnumbered.

He recognizes the tall man in charge, at the centre of the formation, as Kris, and the rest are guards for sure –even though he didn’t mingle with their caste much during his stay, since the Countess’ invitations didn’t extend that far below her in hierarchy, he recognizes their armor and weapons. The fact remains, that these men are strong enough to withstand the muted daylight and are highly skilled in combat; and they have come this far with the sole intension to capture them –if not to kill them.

“Surrender to us peacefully, and you won’t be harmed” Kris breaks the silence, voice absolute but reasonable and calm. It’s not more threatening than the statement it carries, but it is clear that the options for the two hybrids are limited. _So, capture it is._ Chanyeol bitterly thinks that he was right not to trust Kris; those emerald eyes that are now looking at them cold as stone, had been smiling at Baekhyun amicably a little more than a week ago. His jaw tightens, his fists clenching on his sides. _How could they?_

“She wouldn’t allow you to harm us” a defiant reply coming from Baekhyun surprises everyone, including Chanyeol, who glances at the shorter. Who is _she_? Could Baekhyun mean…the Countess? Chanyeol’s question is not voiced nor answered, since Baekhyun is focused mostly on Kris, his expression stern and hard, fangs still slightly longer than usual, his eyes glinting dangerously. Kris assesses him for a moment, his thick eyebrows drawing closer on his forehead in thought.

“Young master Park Baekhyun” he addresses Baekhyun respectfully, the way the vampires did back at the layer –they considered Baekhyun an adopted son to Chanyeol’s father, if not Chanyeol’s mate, so the they thought the name was befitting. Baekhyun doesn’t budge at the coaxing tone Kris used, indicating some brief familiarity between them, from the time they spent together last week. “I don’t want to harm either of you” the blond man finishes quietly, his emerald eyes giving Baekhyun a meaningful look. Bizarrely, it looks like Kris honestly doesn’t wish to harm Baekhyun, the strict lines of his expression thawing slightly in fondness.

“Oh” Baekhyun mutters, his eyes rounding a bit in realization “So she said you could harm _me_ , huh?” he guesses, and from the grimace Kris makes, he is correct. Chanyeol’s anger boils at the thought that anyone would order Baekhyun’s harm, his inner fire suddenly flaring indignantly, as if in agreement. Baekhyun doesn’t seem fazed by his own conclusions, however, showing the men across from him an audacious, crooked smirk. He looks perfectly threatening, his fangs drawn all the way now, and his claws, too. Chanyeol feels his own instincts bubbling under the surface, preparing for a fight. “Well you can try, because I’m not surrendering him to you under any conditions” Baekhyun dares confidently, his resolve to fight to his own death if he has to for Chanyeol ringing clear in his words, making the fire inside Chanyeol stir.

Kris sighs, disappointed, and not a heartbeat later, one man from the flanks starts advancing –until he is shot dead on the ground after a couple of steps, with an arrow pierced through his forehead.

Everyone stills and holds their breath. The man is not dead –vampires can’t die– but he is useless for now; he will have to sleep in his crib for at least one day away from the sun till the wound heals, so that he can start his recovery. If he is left in the sun for days like this, he is going to turn to stone –the closest thing to death vampires ever get. But no one is concerned over the man at the moment. All eyes turn slowly to Chanyeol, whose bow is still clutched in his hand.

“Stay away” he growls warningly, eyes locking with Kris’ eyes for slightly longer. He drew his bow and shot the arrow in lightning speed with practiced precision, but his actions were perfectly clear and measured in his head; it took one split second for him to go against his elven nature and harm someone, but he was aware all through that second, and he chose to attack to protect Baekhyun. He won’t hesitate to do it again.

“Young master Park, please, lower your weapon” Kris requests calmly, but the ticking of his jaw gives away his tension. All eyes are expecting a reaction of Chanyeol, who is still brandishing the incriminating bow with no regrets. After a few uneventful moments, during which Kris is trying to glare at Chanyeol and is subsequently failing due to his lower rank, the tall blond sighs again, this time in exasperation. “I tend to heed my given orders, and you’re leaving me no choice” he announces, his expression regressing to an impassive one.

When the next guard sprints forward out of their asymmetric formation, Chanyeol shoots his bow again, but the man had been expecting it, even at such short notice, and he evades its course. The arrow whirrs and continues flying into emptiness, falling below their altitude, and Chanyeol doesn’t have time to shoot another one, since the man possess the same vampire speed and has come too close too soon for another shot. The man hisses threateningly, attacking head on with claws and fangs, but before Chanyeol has time to drop his bow and spring forward, his fangs long and sharp, Baekhyun jumps in front of him protectively and lunges at the man.

Baekhyun’s motions are lethally graceful and Chanyeol’s heart clutches painfully in fear as the smaller pounces ruthlessly at the advancing man. There is no hint of hesitation as Baekhyun comes as close as possible, ducking under the man’s swiping claws and stepping one foot on the crouching man’s knee; he uses it as a foothold and lifts himself off the ground, one hand grabbing the man’s shoulder; he uses the centripetal acceleration to swing on the man’s back, knees digging into the man’s ribs painfully, as his clawed hands encase the stupefied man’s head, abruptly forcing it to turn to the side with a fatal breaking sound from the man’s neck. The lifeless body falls to the ground with Baekhyun hissing furiously on its back, the first slow moment after an incredibly fast clean kill.

Baekhyun shows his fangs unrepentantly and growls low, warning the remaining three men, who watch him in disbelief. Chanyeol’s heart beats faster, as the realization gradually sinks in; Baekhyun just _killed_ someone. He took down a skillful vampire warrior by himself in less than a minute, without so much as a scratch on his skin. He didn’t falter, not once, in his effort to protect Chanyeol, even though _he_ is the disposable one, according to the vampires’ orders.

The moment of shock doesn’t last, and soon two more guards charge towards them. One of them is obviously aiming for Baekhyun, and the smaller draws the sword of the lifeless man, rising from the ground just in time for his blade to clash against the metal of the sword his attacker is wielding, eyes glinting in the heat of battle. Chanyeol doesn’t know if Baekhyun knows anything of combat, having lived all his life peacefully in the woods, but he doesn’t have time to act about it either, because the second guard lunges at him.

The fight demands all his attention, his worry over Baekhyun shimmering at the back of his mind, while in the forefront he tries to avoid his aggressor’s blows as efficiently as he can. He has only fought with elves before, and that was years ago, before he was banned from defense classes because he was faster and stronger than everyone at school, and even then, it was very different. Vampires are fast and unforgiving, they are always going for the kill; even with orders not to harm Chanyeol, the guard fighting him has to reroute his blows last minute to avoid attacking Chanyeol’s throat. It’s more like a hunt and less of a fight, Chanyeol’s instincts going haywire; most moves he didn’t even know he could do, keeping his balance and striking back with some success.

So far, the man’s defensive moves have hurt Chanyeol more than his offence, and Chanyeol’s chest is _burning_ , fueling him with more strength and better stamina. He can see, feel and hear with striking lucidity, the fight that might seem a blur to others looking perfectly clear to its details in his eyes; there are flashes of claws and orange glimpses of eyes in his vision, jaws snapping, limbs bending. He hears himself growl and it sounds otherworldly, but the most upsetting sound is the clanging of metal somewhere behind him, the snarls and groans which are not coming from himself or his opponent. Baekhyun is fighting further away and Chanyeol can’t even glance his way to check, or he will be subdued by his far more experienced rival. His worry of Baekhyun grows steadily, almost to a suffocating degree, and he decides _enough is enough_.

He pretends to go for the man’s ribs, making the guard coil to protect his sides, and grabs him by the neck instead, squeezing him without mercy. There is no metallic sound in the background anymore, only unarmed combat, and Chanyeol growls, showing his teeth at the man, who is squirming like a fish in Chanyeol’s hold as the taller holds him in the air, the guard’s feet barely grazing the ground. He can feel the man’s pulse slowing down, his throat being gradually crushed, and he sees his scary refection in the man’s orange eyes, his burgundy eyes noticeable; he just wants him out of the way so that he can help Baekhyun. Chanyeol throws the man in the air, flinging him with little effort across the open space, and the man screams as he is being tossed against the solid wall of the tower. The rock chips when the man is flattened against it from the force, and then he falls limp to the ground.

Chanyeol’s victory is short-lived, because no sooner has he done away with the guard than a loud yell drains the blood from his limbs.

“Baekhyun!” he shouts in panic and turns around so fast he almost gets dizzy, having recognized the agonized voice and fearing for the smaller’s safety. One more man is lying on the ground with a sword driven through his heart, another sticking out from his side, but it’s not Baekhyun.

Baekhyun has been captured by Kris.

It’s terrifying to watch Baekhyun thrashing in the arms of a man who is nearly twice his size, both arms bent behind him in an awkward, painful angle to immobilize him, and a dagger pressed against his milky throat. Kris looks only a little ruffled, in contrast to Baekhyun, who looks far more roughed up; his hair is messy, he has a bruise on his jaw and a long red scratch from his chin to his ear, his cloak is missing, his clothes are untidy and dirty with foreign blood and dirt in some places. There are even a few cuts in them, mostly around his torso, but the wounds have already healed underneath. The scratch and the bruises marring his face have also started to heal, but that doesn’t make the picture any less horrifying.

“I will have to ask you again, young master Park” Kris says, his voice raised this time, eyes shining, impatient and perhaps anxious; he is the only one left standing and they could neutralize him together, but Chanyeol can’t risk attacking him while he is holding Baekhyun hostage. Baekhyun is squirming with all his might in the man’s hold, even if it hurts, trying to elbow him in the gut or kick him, even just throw him off balance, but Kris is significantly bigger, and Baekhyun’s efforts are all in vain. “Surrender to us” Kris calls, almost looks like he regrets using Baekhyun.

“Kill me already!” Baekhyun demands, shrieking angrily at Kris and fighting against him more vigorously; he doesn’t want to be used like this, he’d rather be dead than be the reason Chanyeol surrenders. Chanyeol’s eyes widen at the prospect of watching Baekhyun’s death right before his eyes.

“Don’t hurt him!” he pleads, raising his hands in surrender while looking at Kris in the eyes. He tries to summon enough power in his voice to make it an order, and it sounds different to his ears indeed, but he doesn’t get to find out if it worked. When he looks at Baekhyun, the smaller’s eyes widen impossibly with dread, his face turning unnaturally pale.

“No, Chanyeol!”

Something hits Chanyeol hard on the head, a sharp pain shoots through his skull and the world spins out of balance. He can’t feel his body as he limply collapses against the stones by Baekhyun’s feet, black spots swallowing his vision, a cold shroud wrapping around him and numbing all his senses.

The last thing Chanyeol sees is Baekhyun, crying and screaming and perishing.

~~~

It’s dark.

It’s dark and cold. There is hard ground beneath him, his waist is awkwardly bent, and there is slight dampness under his fingertips and on the side of his face. Something angular is poking his back in a permanent bruise, his neck is cramped to the side and he very decidedly has a severe headache pounding against his temples. He scrunches his nose in discomfort but that’s about all he can do; he can’t move a muscle, even though he can’t feel any unusual pain that might indicate he is hurt, or the familiar discomfort of his body healing anywhere. It’s like his body simply hasn’t awakened yet, but that’s okay, he can take it slow; his head feels like it is being split in two and his stomach is turning.

The cold is biting at his aching bones, squirming under his skin, and Chanyeol _doesn’t_ like the cold. He feels dizzy but he decides to fix his temperature first, so he readjusts his body heat with some effort, like pushing through a room of cotton, and he succeeds; his fire rejoices inside his chest, as if it had been waiting for the longest time.

The warmth in his chest changes the air in his lungs and he coughs a little until he can breathe easier. He can smell humidity, wet stone, stale air, and roses. His ears pick up little noises; wind rushing against stone peaks, howling in distant chasms, water dripping against flat stone as if counting the seconds, a breath, a heartbeat, small muttering under every exhaled breath. He blinks his eyes open, but shuts them again immediately in pain; for a dark room, there sure is a piercing ray of light bright enough to blind him. He tries again, slowly looking through his lashes, and the world comes into focus.

There is the stone floor he is lying on, and stone walls surrounding him. It reminds him of the layer, in a more crude version; the room looks like it’s been carved in stone by bare hands, handful imprints denting the walls and the ceiling, the floor unkempt and littered with little chips of rock. The humidity is darkening splotches against the stone surface, dripping down to the floor somewhere to his right. There is a hatch high on the wall, on the furthest side of the room; it is closed, but sunrays sneak in and fall directly into his eyes, distorting the shapes. He tries to shy away, and he manages to shift just a little, enough to open his eyes more comfortably.

_Are those iron bars?_

Chanyeol tries to focus; there are thick bars of metal impaled in the stone, from floor to ceiling, looking more immovable than the entire mountain. They form a line between himself and the wall where the hatch is, a short dark opening which looks like a door being on that wall too, and one more boundary between himself and a similar cell next to him. Chanyeol’s eyes widen and his entire body stirs in panic when he recognizes Baekhyun’s figure, sitting on the other side of the cage, slumped against the bars. The events at the mountain city return to Chanyeol with alarming clarity and his heart picks up the pace in anxiousness.

Baekhyun doesn’t look well; his clothes are ruffled and dirty, torn in some places, and his body looks limp, breathing slowly, his shoulders hunched in defeat, his hair falling over his face, hidden in the shadows. He looks like a drained, broken wreck, and Chanyeol feels a lump forming in his throat. _No, no, no._ The worst scenarios cross Chanyeol’s mind in a heartbeat, and he gathers all his willpower to try and crawl closer to the other man, an overburdened groan escaping his numb lips.

Baekhyun’s head snaps up.

“Chanyeol?” he calls out, voice soft in disbelief but also urgent with hope. Chanyeol scrunches his nose again and almost wretches the words, but his lips refuse to cooperate. He ends up groaning again, giving up. His arms have regained some of their worth and he uses them to lift his upper body on his elbows, the floor feeling a little disgusting under him. Baekhyun’s eyes are wide and urgent as he scrambles on the other side, squeezing his arms through the iron bars and futilely trying to grab on anything closer to Chanyeol from the distance, his fingers clawing and clutching at empty air. “Chanyeol, my Chanyeol” he calls, voice desperate and cracked.

“Baekhyun” Chanyeol nearly moans out the name, his weak body slowly rousing from its lethargic state –is this what vampires feel when they wake up every night? He shakes his head, knocking his senses in their right places, and he tries to lift himself to a sitting position, closer to Baekhyun but still too far to touch. Baekhyun’s hands are still struggling to reach him futilely, body painfully pressed against the metal, inconsolable whimpers falling from his lips. How long has he spent curled in that corner, trying to shove himself impossibly through the bars? Chanyeol manages to prop his back against the wall with effort, and he turns his head to look at Baekhyun, taking a deep, labored breath. “Are you hurt? Did they hurt you?” he asks in distress, his eyes scanning Baekhyun’s face for any obvious signs of abuse or discomfort. There are dark smudges on his skin but no cuts or bruises.

Baekhyun drops his hands to his lap and leans away from the bars to take a breath, and then he shakes his head. “No, I’m fine; they couldn’t hurt me after your order” he reassures Chanyeol quietly, and a deep sigh of relief escapes the taller’s lips. _Thankfully, it worked._ He feels about a ton lighter knowing Baekhyun is unharmed, that their captors didn’t touch him. Baekhyun’s eyes glint in the semi-darkness. “Are you in pain?” he asks worriedly, his hands gripping against the metal bars so hard that his knuckles turn white. He looks scared and frantic, weak, his eyes misting over with tears. The sight of Baekhyun so distraught and forlorn tugs at Chanyeol’s heart.

“I’ll be alright” he tries to smile encouragingly, but his lips curl in a strange grimace; he is sure his body is not injured, it just needs time to adjust. He tries to reach towards Baekhyun, to touch him and make sure he is okay, but he finds out he can’t move his hands past a certain point; something is hindering his movement at the wrists, and he looks down to find his hands engulfed in metal cuffs, which link him to the wall with a heavy chain. He tests them again, pulling hard; the chain clinks but it doesn’t budge, only the cuffs bruise his skin. “What is this thing?” he grumbles annoyed, tugging against the bonds to no avail, a frown etched between his eyebrows. Baekhyun gives him a despondent look.

“We’re prisoners, Chanyeol”

It should come as no surprise really, but Chanyeol still startles a little at the word. What else could they be, caged in a mountain and tied up in chains? He should have realized sooner –and maybe he did, but still, he had been hoping for something more civil and less despairing, less final and firm than that. _Prisoners._ Locked up by the vampires, completely helpless at their mercy. The very people who had the nerve to smile at them amicably a few days ago, now have them caged like wild animals, and who knows what they intend to do with them. It infuriates Chanyeol to think about it; the elves had him enslaved in plain sight and now the vampires have hidden him in their dungeons. Why is it that he can’t be free, why do both sides want him to be something he is not and cannot be?

Well, he might be imprisoned but he won’t accept these confines. Feeling less sluggish than before and fueled by his exasperation, he focuses on his wrists and the cool feeling of the metal around them; he raises his temperature just in that area, curls of his fire leaving his chest and travelling through his veins to his wrists, where they burn like Baekhyun taught them, more and more, until the metal starts to heat up, turning brown, orange, red, golden. The cuffs melt and fall to the ground in a pool of distorted metal.

Free of his chains, Chanyeol tries to stand to his feet; Baekhyun gasps and pleads him to be careful, watching with helpless eyes from across the space that scream how much he wants to come closer and help him. Chanyeol manages to find balance, even though his legs feel like jelly and they don’t unbend all the way, and using the rough wall for support, limping every other step, he approaches the bars on Baekhyun’s side. The latter scurries to stand up too, holding the iron bars in front of him and pressing himself against them, as if that would bring Chanyeol closer any sooner.

“Give me your hands” he instructs when he is at arm’s length, and Baekhyun shoves his hands through the opening of the metal poles obediently; they are dirty with dried blood and soil like the rest of him, his wrists an angry red color which doesn’t heal because the skin is chaffed and is constantly being rubbed as Baekhyun strains against the cuffs. To see Baekhyun’s beautiful hands like this, Chanyeol feels sick; the rest of Baekhyun might not bear any wounds and marks, but that doesn’t mean the vampires haven’t hurt him. Chanyeol can’t melt Baekhyun’s handcuffs, because that would probably burn his already damaged skin, so he pinches the chain instead, melting it and setting Baekhyun’s hands free.

As soon as he can move his hands, Baekhyun pushes them through the bars on either of Chanyeol’s sides and he circles them behind the taller’s waist, pulling him into a tight hug. It’s very uncomfortable with the bars between them, but Chanyeol can still feel Baekhyun’s strong hands digging against his back, his body heat radiating through the openings, his messy hair tickling his chin. He tries to hug Baekhyun back, threading his arms through the same gaps between the bars and clutching on Baekhyun’s body as tight as he can. It makes his heart beat faster, spreading a peaceful, relieved feeling in his chest. _He’s fine, oh, he’s okay._ He closes his eyes and breathes in deeply, finding some reassurance in the familiar scent of roses.

“Thank heavens you’re not hurt” Baekhyun mumbles under his breath, over and over like a prayer. He is still distressed, his body fidgeting and trying to sink deeper into Chanyeol, nuzzling his face against Chanyeol’s chest, his heart beating so loud, that Chanyeol thinks he can’t only hear it but also feel it. He tries to appease the smaller with quiet whispers and short kisses on his head, one hand combing through Baekhyun’s hair comfortingly. It takes a while, but Baekhyun eventually calms a little; he still won’t let go of Chanyeol, as if he is afraid he will be taken away forever if he loosens his hold the tiniest bit, but his breaths become more steady and his heartbeat slows down. Chanyeol can’t imagine what happened to Baekhyun while he was unconscious to make him this frightened.

“What happened?” Chanyeol asks quietly, rubbing Baekhyun’s ear with his thumb for comfort, and the shorter looks up at him; their faces are too close but neither minds, because this close doesn’t feel close enough. Baekhyun gives him a wide-eyed, traumatized look.

“You were trying to make Kris let go of me and then, then that guard you had thrown on the wall, he rose from the ground and tore a boulder. I didn’t have time to warn you before he, he hit you on the head with it” he narrates haltingly, his heart beating irregularly again, his eyes glassy with panic and pictures from his memory that scare him. _Oh, so that’s what happened._ Baekhyun bites his lip, his eyes travelling over every feature of Chanyeol’s face, desperate. “You fell on the ground, and you were bleeding, completely unconscious, I was so scared” he half whispers the last words with effort, his breath catching as his eyes glaze and tears start to overflow. His entire body is trembling with sobs in Chanyeol’s hold, unable to continue his story, and the taller gathers Baekhyun closer, pressing a reassuring kiss on his forehead carefully, as if he is something fragile.

“I’m fine now, Baek; it doesn’t even hurt” he murmurs; he doesn’t expect it when Baekhyun finally breaks and pulls back a little, fists his hands at the back of Chanyeol’s shirt and starts tugging at the fabric, hitting him halfheartedly, but enough to make a bruise for almost every blow.

“You’ve been out for two days” he accuses loudly, his eyes still spilling glassy tears that mingle with the dirt on his skin, his fists hitting Chanyeol wherever he can reach on his back relentlessly “I could do nothing but beg you to wake up from across the room; I couldn’t even reach you!” he yells in despair, which turns into a wail, his lips curling unattractively. That seems to be the end of his tantrum, his body giving up on the fight and slumping against Chanyeol through the bars. He cries loudly, his chest heaving and hiccupping between each moan, and he rubs his face against Chanyeol furiously, red eyes and cheeks turning even more sore. Chanyeol strokes his back and tries to hold him still, for fear he might hurt himself. His own eyes are brimming with tears of regret; Baekhyun had to watch him from afar lying on the stones, half dead and unresponsive for two days. He can’t begin to say how sorry he is to have scared him like that, his heart squeezed by a thorny rope in his chest.

When Baekhyun calms a bit, almost completely spent after his agony and heartbreak, Chanyeol wipes his own tears with his sleeve so that Baekhyun won’t see, and then he tilts Baekhyun’s head back to wipe his tear tracks; Baekhyun’s eyes are glassy and red-rimmed, his lips sleek and his cheeks flushed. He looks like cracked porcelain, his expression tired, but his gaze is soft and affectionate towards Chanyeol, as if he is all he sees. Chanyeol licks his lips, hoping his voice won’t give away that he had been crying too. “Where are we now?” he asks quietly. Baekhyun blinks away his last tears, which fall into Chanyeol’s awaiting palms.

“They’ve brought us back to the mountains, but it’s a different mountain from the one they live in. This is some sort of prison; apart from what you see, the rest of it is rock and winding stairs” he informs helpfully, filling the blanks for Chanyeol, who was brought to this place unconscious. He takes a good look around; it really looks like a prison, perhaps one for vampires on death row –that latch on the wall could be the means to turn an executed prisoner into stone in daylight. Chanyeol doesn’t think they are on death row, however; they would have killed them sooner if that were the case, but they are too valuable for death. Vampires might use this place to leave people to die, but in Chanyeol and Baekhyun’s case, they just want them to be isolated from the rest in the layer.

Chanyeol tries to explore past what his eyes see, using his elf sense; he feels the solid rock around them and under their feet, wounded where the bars have been impaled. There is a downwards tunnel, but it seems nothing more than a hollow, leading to something solid; perhaps there is a door blocking the entrance, because he can’t feel any breeze sneaking in. Except for the water running and oozing on the stone, there is nothing else in the entire mountain; it’s like their captors have left them stranded and forgotten here. Now he understands how much more civil they are being to his father, allowing him a less secluded and more comfortable place to stay. Baekhyun sniffles, regaining Chanyeol’s attention.

“I can’t break anything, I tried; everything is probably enhanced by that man with the big eyes, who has a talent for the earth. It’s designed to hold vampires imprisoned. Only a guard comes by and brings me food, but I haven’t touched anything, in case it is poisoned” he nods to the corner of his cell, where there are a few trays of food, cold and untouched. Chanyeol’s fingers form a fist on his side, his throat tightening with an inexplicable ache that starts from his chest. How could they do this to Baekhyun? They made him spend two days in a cold dungeon, fatigued, starved and isolated, left helpless with Chanyeol’s comatose body, to hit himself against the walls and scream all he’d want without anyone to hear or care what happens of him. He takes a breath to calm himself.

“We will get out of here, don’t be afraid” he promises, cradling Baekhyun’s face and swiping his thumb over his tarnished cheekbone; he won’t let them hurt Baekhyun any further than they already have. He is going to spend every breathing moment in this prison plotting to get out, and he will never stop fighting against them, he’ll never do what they want, he won’t be anyone else’s but Baekhyun’s, and Baekhyun will be the only thing on his mind until they see blue sky again. Baekhyun gazes at Chanyeol’s determined expression with a more gentle, pensive one, and he opens his mouth to speak; but he is interrupted by the sound of steps, echoing through the small opening of the door on the wall across from them. Someone is coming.

They disentangle reluctantly and return each to their cell, but they don’t step away from each other; staying close is more important than hiding the fact that they are no longer chained. Their captors don’t deserve such pretences; let them think what they may. The closer the steps come, the more distinctive their sound becomes; it is just one person, a vaguely familiar one. Chanyeol tries to pinpoint those steps in his recent memory but he doesn’t have to search for long; stooping a little to get through the door, the guard with amber eyes who first brought them into the layer and accompanied them during the days they spent there, joins them at the mountain dungeon, his expression calm and composed, just like Chanyeol remembers. He is wearing his adorned metallic armor, otherwise unarmed, holding a small loaf of bread in his hands.

Chanyeol eyes the food curiously and then glances at Baekhyun, assuming this is the guard he mentioned earlier, but Baekhyun is giving the man a confused, mystified look, which leads Chanyeol to understand that this is not the same man who has been bringing him food for the past two days. What changed for him to come here?

“This is from Master Park, for young master Park Baekhyun” the guard announces without unnecessary introductions and delays, his voice hushed and hardly audible. He gives them a meaningful look, as if explaining that he doesn’t wish to be heard; could it be that he is not supposed to be here? Chanyeol eyes him with a suspicious frown, speculating. The guard extends the loaf towards Baekhyun harmlessly, offering it a bit awkwardly as if he doesn’t know what it is, patiently expecting a reaction. He doesn’t attempt to come closer, having noticed that they are no longer chained to the wall and respecting their space. Baekhyun looks at the guard and then turns to Chanyeol, uncertain.

The guard says the food is a gift from his father, but he could be lying –especially considering his father’s similarly captive state. Where would he find the food and why would he risk sending it to them with a guard? It could be their captors’ ploy, to lure Baekhyun with a familiar face and poison him, seeing as he hasn’t been eating any of the food they have offered him so far. But there is a chance his father has heard of their imprisonment; he has powerful connections which still inform him of every happening in the mountains. Perhaps he is sending them food using his connections, because he knows they shouldn’t trust anything served to them otherwise. Chanyeol decides to read the guard before making any decision; and it seems he is telling the truth.

With one nod from Chanyeol, Baekhyun takes a step forward and tentatively takes the proffered bread from the man’s clawed hands through the bars. He accepts it quickly and retreats into his cell, returning to Chanyeol’s side like a scared little mouse. “Thank you” he mumbles, holding the food to his chest but not biting into it yet. The guard takes a deep bow, in the same unsettlingly reverent way he did on the first day they met.

“They will be coming to visit you later today” he informs them, glancing up fleetingly while whispering the warning; it is a piece of advice for them, to be prepared and not to delay their meal. They will need to gain strength before facing their unwelcomed visitors. Chanyeol appreciates the man’s loyalty to his father and the genuine respect towards them; he has always been very helpful, a bright example in a sea of treacherous smiles. He thanks him quietly and the guard rises to his height again, his expression not betraying any thought or emotion, except for the glint in his eyes. He dismisses himself smoothly with a last meaningful look, disappearing through the door he came from. They wait to hear his steps fade and then a heavy door at the base of the mountain creaks as it opens and closes, the sound echoing through the tunnel of stairs to their cells.

“Can we trust him?” Baekhyun asks once the man is gone, eyes troubled. He is still clutching the loaf of bread to his chest, surely famished but also cautious. Chanyeol relaxes his tense body and nods.

“Yes, he is an ally to my father” he confirms, and Baekhyun doesn’t doubt him. He takes the bread into his hands and breaks it in two smaller pieces; he gives one to Chanyeol right away and the taller accepts it gratefully, his stomach feeling like a pile of rags. He sniffs it before the first bite, just in case there is something amiss –and Chanyeol would know, he’s been making bread almost all his life. The food seems normal enough and he bites into it with gusto, his mouth watering when the soft dough touches his tongue. He is biting and chewing to his heart’s content on the small piece of food they’re given, so absorbed that he is surprised when Baekhyun speaks.

“There’s something here” he says, picking apart the spongy interior to pull out a small piece of paper, stuffed into the bread. “A note?” he asks himself, puzzled, passing his piece of food to Chanyeol so that he can examine the folded paper properly. Chanyeol waits patiently, his thoughts swirling; his father sent them food but also a note with it. He can only hope the older vampire has a suggestion, any information or a way to help them; he has taken a great risk to pass the note to them –specifically, to Baekhyun– so it must be important.

“What does it say?” Chanyeol asks curiously after long moments of pregnant silence. Baekhyun’s eyes take a moment longer to read over the note for the tenth time it seems, his expression far from puzzled. He looks torn, the line of his lips a little rueful, his eyebrows furrowed, his eyes hard and cold. Could it be bad news? Chanyeol still wants to hear it. Baekhyun lets out a small breath, yielding reluctantly, and he starts reading the note aloud in a flat voice.

“Dear child, Baekhyun…please, save him. Do not hesitate”

A long silence befalls the room. Chanyeol is confused; what does his father mean by that? Baekhyun…can save Chanyeol? How? He is as much of a prisoner as him. They are also equally strong and fast, it makes no sense. ‘Do not hesitate’? To do what? Why would Baekhyun hesitate if there was a way out for them?

“I don’t understand” he admits, a confused frown shadowing his eyes. He feels like he is missing big pieces of the puzzle, important pieces that have been passing obliviously at the edge of his mind for a long time now, but there is no way he could know. Baekhyun’s silence is unsettling; he simply keeps reading the note again and again with a serious, cold expression. His eyes seem to almost hate the words on paper, like they are hurting him deeply, but he doesn’t look confused, only sad, like a man strolling on a cliff and finally having to face the edge. He closes his eyes and sighs, trying to compose himself after the internal battle he’s silently been through.

“I do” he says calmly “I understand.” Chanyeol nearly chokes on air at the unexpected answer; Baekhyun understands? What is his father trying to say then? Because Chanyeol won’t be sending Baekhyun off the cliff alone, whatever this means, they will go through it together. The shorter takes on a serious expression as he looks up at a confused Chanyeol, his countenance bearing the air of a man signing his own death. “There is a way out, Chanyeol, once and for good. But I need you to trust me”

~~~

True to the guard’s words, it’s not even sunset yet when they hear the door at the bottom of the mountain cringe open and three pairs of steps start ascending at their leisurely rhythmic pace. Chanyeol exchanges a look with Baekhyun; he is ready for this. They’ve been through the plan over and over, at least as far as Chanyeol’s part is concerned, preparing mentally and resting awake beside each other until now; the only thing Chanyeol regrets is that Baekhyun won’t let him say goodbye, just in case their plan turns horribly wrong. Chanyeol wants to tell him that he loves him at least once, and even though this is not the ideal time, he wants to say it while he can; Baekhyun won’t let him speak a word in a negative direction though, _confident_ their plan will work out. Chanyeol can only trust him, even when his heart is beating behind his teeth in nervousness, and hope for the best, hope that there will be another day for them, when he will finally be able to share his feelings with Baekhyun. He ought to tell him, every day if he could.

Baekhyun senses Chanyeol’s agitation and tries to mollify him a bit in their final seconds alone, his hands rubbing Chanyeol’s hand comfortingly. Chanyeol looks at him apprehensively. _You have too much faith in me._

“I won’t let go” Baekhyun promises, lacing their fingers and tightening his hold on Chanyeol’s hand. Chanyeol squeezes back and he doesn’t want to think that this is the last thing he wants to see when Baekhyun finds the strength to smile at him. Looking at that beautiful smile, Chanyeol wants to think of many years ahead filled with its sunshine, he wants to think waking up to it, kissing its curves, sharing it with Baekhyun so many times that the places and moments around them blur and fade in an unimportant mixture of pictures, leaving just the two of them smiling throughout the years. But he can’t, he can’t think of that; he keeps thinking of painful and final goodbyes, of untimely confessions that never happened, of emptiness and longing.

They rise slowly, side by side when the steps of their visitors echo close enough, and Chanyeol’s hand twitches restlessly in Baekhyun’s hold, the burden of what they are about to do resting heavily in his chest. He wishes he were a hero like Baekhyun, so brave and strong and confident, but he is only a lonely and scared kid, who everybody thinks is an unnatural mistake. He is not strong, but they can do this, because he is the strongest with Baekhyun.

Three figures soon emerge from the darkness of the tunnel, wearing long, luxurious cloaks that don’t match the neglected, untidy room. They slide to the middle of the room gracefully, assuming their positions across from the two prisoners; they have the same formation as the guards who brought them here, with the leader in the centre, but unlike the soldiers, they are more relaxed and refined, less physically intimidating. One by one they take off their hoods, and they are all familiar figures. In the centre stands Countess Irene of course, her purple hair jumping out of her hood and flowing down her shoulders as if it was animated. On her right is Sir Do, eyes so wide it’s hard to tell if he is expressionless or if there are traces of surprise to be found on his features. Lastly, on her left is a stone-faced Counselor Suho, a nobleman they didn’t get to interact with very much, mostly because of his taciturn and aloof disposition.

“You are both awake, how convenient; pardon our intrusion” the Countess begins, a well practiced smile curling her lips; you’d think she is visiting a friend in a respectable house, not her prisoners in the furthest dungeons. Chanyeol has seen that smile on her lips one too many times and not _one_ of those times did he trust it, so he barely keeps himself from growling at her fake, heartless façade. Is there a point in pretending when they’ve come to this, they are imprisoned, for heaven’s sake! Baekhyun squeezes his hand to loosen Chanyeol’s impossibly tight grip, anchoring him to reality and keeping his head level before he snaps and shows his teeth. If the Countess senses any of the hostility Chanyeol is radiating off his entire body, she doesn’t react to it, keeping her placid smile on her pink lips. Her black eyes scan them quickly once, as discreetly as possible. “And you’ve made yourselves comfortable, I see” she says, referring to their broken chains. She says it with a smile but her displeasure rings through the masked cheerful tone of her voice.

“This can hardly be called _comfortable_ ” Chanyeol points out, his voice reprimanding and his one eyebrow raised skeptically as he makes a vague gesture to showcase their cold and wet surroundings. One chain less doesn’t make them free. The Countess takes a moment to look around as if she hasn’t seen the place before, an obvious act, and then she blinks at the prisoners, her expression innocent.

“I can see how your present accommodation is a far cry from what would be expected, but worry not” she breezes through the words with eerie kindness, and then she raises one clawed hand to her chest, a demure gesture she is fond of and which makes her look falsely sensitive; the heart under her hand must be pretty cold, if she can order around ruthless arrests and indefinite sentences for her captives. “We do not wish our hospitality to be lacking in any sense; in fact, we shall restore your residence to your father’s rooms without further ado” she smiles brightly, but rather than bringing reassurance, it gives the impression that a part of her sentence has been omitted.

Chanyeol is not fooled; she was the one who ordered they be thrown in here, even worse, she wanted Baekhyun dead. She would not be proposing to take them back to his father’s room without any reason behind it, and if she is negotiating in an unorthodox way, Chanyeol is not naïve enough to accept blindly. A few long moments pass in absolute silence, only the water dripping from the stone can be heard, and Chanyeol idly wonders for how much longer she can hold her smile. Counselor Suho might not be capable of many expressions, but Sir Do is starting to look awkward by her side.

“Young master Park” she starts after a while in a gentle, coaxing tone, her expression turning endearingly pouty “Please, don’t be mad. I know the circumstances of our reunion are not ideal, but I assure you, I for one am very happy to see you again” she says angelically, as if they are meeting in the comfort of her office. Her expressions are beautified and exaggerated slightly, in hopes of being convincing, but she is not lying when she says she’s happy to see him again; she went to great lengths to make that happen, it is expected that she enjoys here prize.

“Oh, I am sure” Chanyeol concedes, his deep voice flowing like honey, a polite smile forced on his lips; the Countess believes it for a moment, her black eyes pleasantly surprised. “But I doubt you are apologetic in the least for the circumstances you have purposefully created” he finishes, his tone slightly yet noticeably harsher than before. His smile fades from his lips, and it feels like a relief to let his expression fall into its natural, stern mien, his burgundy eyes pinning the Countess in place. The men on her sides remain still, waiting for her reaction tensely; she gives him a long look, trying to decipher his intension, and then she pushes her purple hair behind her right ear elegantly with her manicured hands.

“You have misunderstood me, I am afraid” she says, her voice more serious now as she gives them an assumedly earnest look. “Everything we do, we do it for your own safety”

Chanyeol inwardly snorts at that; what a dolled up lie…“Kris and his men, under your orders, attacked us, fought with us, and imprisoned us for our own safety?” he questions, his brows quirking as if it is an innocent, honest question. He is being passive-aggressive, knowing that the Countess plays this game better, and in any other case, Chanyeol and Baekhyun would be disadvantaged; they couldn’t escape five men, much less an entire army of vampires out for their blood. The Countess doesn’t seem to mind the tone of his words but she gets his point clearly, her expression sober and profound, showing her age.

“My orders were very specific that you not be harmed” she clarifies in her defense, not bothering to deny the fact that she ordered their capture in the first place. Baekhyun had been right all along; Chanyeol should have figured she would come after them when they left the layer, he had just been hoping they weren’t worth the trouble.

“Now that’s only half a truth, isn’t it?” his expression is knowing, an eyebrow raised dauntingly. She ordered no one would harm him, because it’s him she wants, but for Baekhyun she couldn’t care less; if he got out of her way, the better. The Countess hadn’t been expecting this accusation like the previous one and she is for once speechless, her lips remaining sealed instead of spewing another ambiguous lie. She glances at Baekhyun –a little harsh to be considered friendly– and then she fixes her eyes on Chanyeol. Seeing her bitter and hard-lined expression, the two men by her side grow restless under the surface as the moments tick by, Chanyeol can read it in their souls. The air is suddenly very prominently stale and stiflingly charged. Baekhyun’s thumb rubs soothing circles against Chanyeol’s hand, as if he can read his agitated soul.

“Be that as it may, you’re both here now” Counselor Suho dismisses with a deceptively casual neutrality, breaking the tension after a while, when it becomes apparent that Chanyeol’s staring competition with her ladyship is not leading anywhere –at least, anywhere favorable to them. His words seem to snap her out of her daze and she tentatively resumes her smile.

“My honorable counselor is right” she agrees pleasantly, lacing the fingers of her hands in front of her with grace. “Since you and dear Baekhyun are safe and sound, let bygones be bygones” she proposes, smiling at them both, even though she acknowledges Baekhyun directly with some effort. It is obvious she is treating him kindly only to gain Chanyeol’s favor, and Baekhyun’s gaze says that he knows of that very well. Her ladyship turns to Chanyeol again, her smile toned down significantly to match her speech. “It’s your future that concerns me”

“How so?” Baekhyun asks, faking innocence, and Chanyeol doesn’t know if he is trying to irk her further or force her to acknowledge him again, but he succeeds in doing both. The Countess looks at him briefly, her black eyes swirling with annoyance, but she can’t blame Baekhyun for anything, especially with the shorter’s seemingly benevolent expression that devilishly fits him too well.

“You must have noticed how much we appreciate your lineage” she starts with knowing eyes –it would be hard to miss the appreciation she mentioned, considering the royal treatment they received during their official stay, but Chanyeol doesn’t fail to notice that there is no hint of appreciation in their current position. The Countess changes the lacing of her hands in a subtly graceful move; she looks so much like an animated porcelain doll at times. “Yet, I am afraid you are in peril of extinction. Only your father and you remain; it would be such an immeasurable loss for our kind if either of you should be harmed. Therefore, we offer to protect you” she says kindly, a business-like attitude underlying her words. It is impressive how they justify to themselves abducting innocent people and keeping them hostage. She makes a gesture to Sir Do, to continue their orchestrated proposal.

“You will be allowed to stay in this layer as a permanent and rightful resident” Sir Do recites in a soothing, composed voice, his expression amicable “Your title will be fully acknowledged, and your social duties will be appointed as a member of the high council. You will be fully entitled to participate in activities and rule your private life as you think best” the shorter man glances at Baekhyun briefly, his large, axinite eyes shining suspiciously –Chanyeol thinks he reads traces of a grudge–, but he doesn’t ponder on it. “After you have established your vital role amongst our ranks, you will be allowed to travel, if you wish. You are allowed to use the layer’s recourses, material or otherwise, as you think fit. You will be respected and fully accepted” he looks at Chanyeol directly in the eyes as he enunciates the last two words, as if he knows they are Chanyeol’s weakness. They might have been once, maybe being accepted somewhere seemed like the most important thing at some point, but not anymore; the world may reject him, all across to its furthest corners, and he won’t care, because he has Baekhyun beside him. It’s kind of amusing to read the smug satisfaction in Sir Do’s soul, thinking if only he knew…

“There are, of course, some implications” Counselor Suho makes his stellar contribution to the conversation, sounding just as nonchalant as he feels about it. His words upset the Countess though, and her eyes widen imperceptibly.

“Oh, yes” she dismisses with a bright smile, as if ‘implications’ mean no more than a change of clothes. “It is practical matters, no need for you to concern yourself with such details so early on. I imagine a hot bath and a nice dinner would be in order” she suggests, morphing her expression to pretend a generous concern over her prisoners. He would appreciate it, even now, if she dropped these ridiculous pretenses, but alas, she breathes them for air. Chanyeol pulls his lips into a void smile.

“No, please” he insists, “Let us hear the complete arrangement” It should be interesting to see how many more lies her web entails, although he can imagine the first and foremost condition of her trap. Her ladyship restrains her smile, a smart glint shining in her black orbs.

“It is not an exchange; it is an alliance” she makes the distinction clear, even though to Chanyeol and Baekhyun all this is nothing but a polite extortion. “As you know, I have the highest respect for you, and my person is the most appropriate choice for a strategic union” she cuts to the chase right away, a pretty smile overtaking her features which might be in some part genuine. _Strategic union, huh?_ That’s an appealing way to phrase it, but it is what it is; she wants to mate Chanyeol for his genes. Baekhyun’s hold tightens nearly painfully, his eyes glaring at the Countess as if she has personally offended him, but she doesn’t even glance at him. “Your power, combined with mine, will be quite substantial. It will ensure a very comfortable life for you, and for those you wish to protect” she points out calmly.

A long moment of silence passes, Chanyeol clenching and unclenching his jaw at the threatening side of her words. If they mate, he will be able to protect those he wishes; it they don’t, he will be helpless to protect even himself. She says it so blatantly forward it’s infuriating; even if he weren’t his father’s son, even if he weren’t of her kind, she should be allowing him more dignity than this.

“I don’t think that is an offer I would be inclined to accept” he dismisses, giving her a disinterested, serious expression that finalizes his words. But his heart is beating faster, anxiously preparing for the inevitable final part of their plan to escape; if they can’t talk their way out, he’ll have to _make_ a way out for them, and the moment is fast approaching. Countess Irene takes his refusal in stride, with a lukewarm smile which looks as forced as it is, in combination to her hard eyes. Sir Do jumps to the rescue, trying to offer a diplomatic solution.

“Young master Park, this might seem a little foreign to you, but the Countess is proposing something perfectly reasonable. She is the most befitting female amongst us, and your union would form a powerful alliance; with an heir, your place amongst our kind would be firmly rooted for the rest of eternity. Don’t you want to be able to protect the ones you hold dear? You could set your father free, reinstate this poor soul in our ranks” he means Baekhyun with that last reference, and Baekhyun doesn’t take it very kindly, glaring at Sir Do for calling him a ‘poor soul’. Chanyeol glares warningly at Sir Do as well, and the man takes the hint, lowering his eyes apologetically for a moment before he resumes more flexibly. “And we do not wish to intrude in your personal affairs; if the Countess is not to your _linking_ , you can have anyone you want” he relents, promising Chanyeol everything at this point, for just one thing in exchange.

Chanyeol has heard of it before; his father told him about vampires who might have been bound but kept mistresses on the side. For the Countess to accept such an offense in respect, they must be really desperate. Chanyeol’s thoughts guide his eyes back to the woman who is being silent for now, watching him calmly.

“Our Countess is a rather free spirit when it comes to binding traditions” the Counselor provides, participating in the conversation whenever he wants. He seems amused with what he is saying, even his lips are jostled into an entertained little smile. Chanyeol frowns curiously at his words, and so does Baekhyun, but the Countess herself remains apathetic.

“Counselor Suho” it’s Sir Do who reprimands him, his eyes impossibly wide and scandalized. The Counselor doesn’t even bother to glance his way, absorbed in his humorous thoughts.

“No, it is quite fine, Sir Do” her ladyship puts Sir Do back in line with just one gesture “It is a truth I don’t intend to hide” she says more quietly, looking at Chanyeol in the eye with sparks of challenge in her gaze.

Chanyeol is perplexed but he doesn’t let it show, keeping his composure while the Countess takes off her cloak, keeping intense eye contact with him, and then throws her violet hair over her left shoulder, showing her silver-threaded, off-shoulder blue gown. Chanyeol’s eyes widen at the display; her skin from the base of her neck to her clavicle and to her left shoulder is marred with white marks, bite marks, binding marks. Nothing else leaves scars on vampire skin and she looks like she has been mauled –even though binding is supposed to be a unique experience in one’s lifetime.

“I have been bound before; my late husbands were all exceptional men, who I loved. You would be the successor of very worthy men” she states proudly, but Chanyeol doesn’t find anything reassuring in her words; at least three husbands of hers have died, and it’s not hard to guess what his father meant when he called her a black widow.

“I’d rather not” he says clearly, looking back into her eyes; he wouldn’t bite her neck to save his life. The Countess’ already serious expression darkens at the outright rejection, and she lets her hair fall over her shoulder again, fixing Chanyeol with a hard stare. Naturally, she must have her limits too.

“Don’t be unreasonable, child; the price is small to pay” Counselor Suho advises in a reasonable voice, and Chanyeol reads in his soul that he honestly means his advice. Perhaps for other vampires this would be the paved road to happiness; a proposition to mate a powerful and beautiful woman, promises of rank, wealth and freedom, all in all a vast improvement from a cold prisoner’s cell. But Chanyeol doesn’t want any of that; to him, these are merely pretty chains to keep him imprisoned for the rest of his life.

“You said you wish to protect him” Baekhyun speaks after a long while, his voice calm but his expression serious and his eyes sinister “What makes you think you are fit for the task?” his voice is so deep it almost disappears in a growl, and Chanyeol notices that his eyes are oddly dark. He hasn’t seen Baekhyun like this before, but he doesn’t spare time to analyze his unusual behavior, sensing the final move so close he can almost touch it. He takes a breath to calm himself.

“I will have to decline your offer on all counts” he announces with finality, his burgundy eyes looking grimly into the Countess’ black gaze. Her left eye twitches ever so slightly, but she doesn’t react impulsively. Counselor Suho beside her looks disappointed in life, and surprisingly, it’s Sir Do who bursts in fury.

“Just _what_ is so special about you?!” he growls, fangs exposed threateningly at Baekhyun. He tilts his weight forward, since he doesn’t dare make a step closer, but the threat is clear in his menacing stance. Baekhyun glares back fearlessly, but Chanyeol’s instinct makes him tug Baekhyun’s hand back as if trying to distance him from danger, even though no one is an imminent threat behind the iron bars; however, the vampire nobleman has some skills that could be perilous from a distance too, given how they are surrounded by tons of solid earth. Sir Do looks livid, axinite eyes swirling and glimmering dangerously, the buzz of an earthquake brewing deep inside the mountain to accompany his spiteful hiss. Chanyeol was right to suspect the man has a personal grudge against Baekhyun, and it might just be because Chanyeol rejected the vampire once for him.

The Countess puts an end to Sir Do’s outburst before it blows out of proportion, raising her hand commandingly. Sir Do’s scarily big eyes focus on her for a moment and then he forces himself to calm down with a lot of effort. The earthquake vanishes before it begins and the man regains a more civil stance, but his eyes stay glued on Baekhyun, brimming with hatred and envy.

“Are you certain of your decision? You won’t like the alternative” the Countess asks sincerely, her tone warning. She is done playing games, but so is Chanyeol. He looks her straight in the eyes. _This is it._

“I am very certain”

“Let me tell you what will happen then” she says, her voice starting calm but too emotionally charged to remain that way, her composure slipping her grasp. Her black eyes are glassy, her perfect expression cracked like an old doll. Chanyeol vaguely hears her words, his thoughts turned inwardly. “You will be kept here, for as long as we see fit. You will be isolated and untended to, until we decide otherwise, with the exception of your basic needs. You will bend, and you will break. You will be drugged and lured to sleep with others, regardless of your preference, until I conceive an heir. Your father won’t be useful after that, so you can imagine the rest. As for your friend, he will be used, by anyone who wishes to, in whatever fancy, and you will be helpless to comfort him or save him” she threatens with a twisted smile, her eyes half-mad, but Chanyeol can hardly focus on her frame “You will come out of here as mine, or you won’t come out at all!” she shrieks in anger, her voice piercing in level and authority, making everyone flinch away.

Chanyeol closes his eyes for a moment; he feels the fire he has looped everywhere under his skin while she had been talking uselessly, shimmering excitedly and yearning to be let out. It starts from his chest, trembling like whispering lips, and it dances all through him, latching onto his cells and crawling forward, dripping down his skin exquisitely, like an invisible molten shroud. Baekhyun said he can do this, and if Chanyeol was unsure before, he is now certain of this powerful feeling surging in his veins. His fire is ready.

He opens his eyes to look at the Countess, and he doesn’t know what she sees, but even in her enraged and distraught state, she looks frightened. Baekhyun’s hand squeezes his fingers one last time ant then slips away from Chanyeol’s hold, the smaller leaving to find shelter. Chanyeol speaks calmly, his deep voice sounding very clear to his ears over the frantic beating of his heart. “You are wrong; on all counts”

It bursts out like a bloodcurdling scream, the fire jumping out of Chanyeol’s skin and expanding out of thin air all around the stone walls, setting the room ablaze. Orange and red swirling flames chase each other and spin in bright golden and crimson clouds of elegant curls. The vampires don’t have time to react before they are trapped, surrounded by wild flames and thin smoke, and they cower close to each other uselessly. The fire licks the floor by their feet, the Countess’ dropped cloak turning to dark ashes, sparks clinging onto her dress and gripping the clothes of the other two vampires. It circles them ceaselessly, cracking in shapes and patterns in the air, daunting them.

“Suho!” the Countess screams in distress, trying to shield herself from the fire. The Counselor, who has a talent for manipulating water, tries to chase away Chanyeol’s fire valiantly, but unsuccessfully.

“I can’t put it out!” he shouts back, making a few more efforts with Sir Do. It is all in vane; the water and dirt they throw get swallowed by the flames greedily, and they spring back even larger than before, flaring magnificently. This fire can’t be stopped; it has been shimmering inside Chanyeol for decades, ever since his childhood, and the world made sure to frustrate him and hurt him enough to make a beast out of the sparks. Chanyeol was afraid to be carrying it while it begged to get out; he never touched it, fearing where it would lead, because it numbed his mind and ignited an infinite hunger inside him.

But he is no longer afraid; this is his fire, his star, his phoenix; a part of him that never sleeps but always purrs tamely in his chest, ready to be wielded in his hands and raze entire cities, never exhausting itself. He is in perfect control of it but it is also wild, waves bigger than the sea crushing on the walls and throwing undying embers in the air. The only way to stop it would be to stop him, but they can’t get to him through the cloak of fire surrounding his body. The flames extend like wings from his arms and his eyes only see his own bright light; his fire sings so beautifully, so mesmerizingly, that he stops hearing the screams, enchanted by it.

“Chanyeol?”

The voice is startlingly clear, like a bell chime in a silent night. It’s a soft call of his name, by a voice sweet and dear; it wraps around the syllables with such affection that the word trembles to life, nudging Chanyeol’s heart. His fire snuggles aside in his chest, making room for something different to curl beside it, shimmering like a newborn star. He blinks dazedly and the space around him comes into focus, amber flames dancing brilliantly and glinting in sparks of warm colors all around him. Just one thing appears beyond his flames, and Chanyeol gasps in panic.

“Baekhyun?” he calls in distress over the uproar of the fire, feeling more sober. It has to be Baekhyun, the real one and not just a figment of Chanyeol’s mind, because he is wearing the torn and tattered, crumpled and dirty clothes he had been wearing before. Baekhyun is coming closer, walking through the fire calmly, as if he is walking on clouds. Why is he standing here, why is he not sheltered? He was supposed to hide behind the rocks until Chanyeol has rendered the vampires incapable of following them. Why is he not flinching away from the flames that arch towards him, lovingly asking to be caressed by his hands? _Why is he not burning?_

In the inferno around them, Baekhyun shines like a graceful angel, untouched by the flames. Except for his clothes, he looks in perfect condition, unlike before; his black hair is smooth and combed, his skin clean, the sickly paleness after two long and agonizing days in prison has vanished. He is giving Chanyeol a small smile, one that takes him back to the first time he met Baekhyun; alabaster skin radiant and soft, his pouty pink lips curled tenderly, gaze affectionate, his silver and blue eyes looking at Chanyeol unwaveringly, gentle and fond. Chanyeol is entranced, watching in a daze as Baekhyun approaches him, unaffected by the ring of flames, which stroke his skin and flicker happily near him. He stops right in front of Chanyeol, less than a step away, always looking up at the taller with the adoration that crowns all the care and pride and pain and love. He looks the embodiment of the hypnotizing white heat of the fire.

“What are you doing, you’ll burn!” Chanyeol yells in alarm, terror clutching at his heart, because his mind is telling him that it’s already too late if he is standing so close. But Baekhyun doesn’t flinch; his eyes curve to bright eyesmiles, one of his hands caressing softly Chanyeol’s scorching skin over his cheek. He is not scared of the unavoidable burn; his touch is slow and sweet. Chanyeol keeps looking into his eyes, distress making his heart beat faster, but he doesn’t know what to do to shelter Baekhyun from the flames, he doesn’t understand what is happening, his knees growing weak in helplessness. Baekhyun gazes deep into Chanyeol’s eyes and then wraps his arms around Chanyeol’s waist, pressing his face against the searing fire in Chanyeol’s chest, molding himself against the taller; he should be screaming in agony, but Baekhyun simply sighs contentedly.

“I won’t burn; I’ll shine for you” he answers quietly, his voice carrying to Chanyeol’s ears clearly, like a sweet caress. Chanyeol’s eyes mist with frustrated tears, his heart aching, feeling so hopelessly incompetent, because he must be hurting Baekhyun and he doesn’t understand, he doesn’t know why Baekhyun reached out to him in such a moment, he doesn’t see that Baekhyun is not burning.

A blinding gleam slowly bathes the room, brilliant, pure white light singing in the heart of Chanyeol’s fire, but he is not its origin. He has to close his eyes against it, shining so overwhelmingly, and he encases Baekhyun in his arms to protect him from the foreign luminescence. Baekhyun tightens his hold around Chanyeol and whispers “Don’t let go” before the light infuses with his senses and the world fades.

~~~

_“Chanyeol?”_

_Yes?_

_“Chanyeol?!”_

_Yes, Baekhyun?_

“Chanyeol, wake up!”

The world trembles underneath him a little, and his eyes flutter open. He sees the night sky, a deep, sapphire blue like in fairytales, sprinkled with millions of stars, tiny lanterns sparkling silver in the sky, so close to each other yet so faraway from here. He sees treetops, swaying ever so little as they reach for the sky, their foliage strange; it is a mix of green and silver, the leaves starting deep green at the base, over a slender grey trunk, and then gradually turning metallic as they ascend, to completely silver tops. _How strange…_ , Chanyeol thinks, his consciousness slipping away once more.

“Yeol, stay with me” a familiar voice calls, and Chanyeol is being shaken again, this time he realizes that someone is gripping him by the shoulders. He tries to open his eyes as much as he can, black spots appearing where they shouldn’t. It is quiet here and it looks like a forest on a very bright night, but his eyes see strange things as they wander around trying to find focus, making him feel a little dizzy. He sees too many stars and silver trees, unnatural crimson and blue leaves on plants near the edges of the meadow, floating lights which replace the black spots and Baekhyun looking at him with wide eyes and…

A pair of great white wings on his back.

Chanyeol nearly faints again.

“Stay awake, stay with me” Baekhyun calls anxiously, shaking him vigorously. He must be in a sitting position, he realizes, and his back is propped against something hard, maybe a rock or a tree, bumping against it with every quake Baekhyun causes him, his body limp and unable to fight against it. The jolts are successful at keeping him tethering on the edge of consciousness, but it’s when his head swings numbly on his neck and hits the tree behind him that he actually feels more sober.

“Aw” he lets out a muffled groan, his nose scrunching in pain from the small impact. It’s not significant, but in a body so unresponsive and numb, even that little pain feels noticeable.

“Are you in pain? Are you hurt anywhere?” Baekhyun inquires right away, his voice alarmed and urgent, his hands flying fretfully over Chanyeol’s body in search of wounds. Chanyeol simply feels numb and frail, like his entire body has been dismantled and then put back together again, but he doesn’t think he is hurt anywhere except for the small bump on his head. He tries to answer Baekhyun, but his lips won’t move, weighing a ton each. He tries to focus his vision, resisting its tendency to blur at the edges and fade in the middle, blinking many times. He thinks he is breathing very slowly, his chest oddly stuffy on the inside, and maybe that affects his vision too. His ears wheeze a little.

But he manages to resurface in the end, not with little effort, his eyes finally finding Baekhyun, sitting in front of him. But this is strange, Chanyeol must be still seeing things.

“Are you okay?” Baekhyun enunciates worriedly, now that he can sense Chanyeol’s glimpse of coherency, his fingers still clutching Chanyeol’s shoulders nervously, contemplating to shake him again. Chanyeol sees the desperate eyes, the pale traces of fear on Baekhyun’s skin, his troubled frown, but he bypasses the concerned question, his eyes drawn to the wings on Baekhyun’s back, as big as his size and spotlessly white, like a dove’s. His eyes widen in alarm when those wings shuffle; _what is that thing?_ He loses sight of them when the entire picture shudders, as Baekhyun nudges him again. Chanyeol is a little dizzy from it and when his eyes manage to separate shapes and colors again, he is looking at Baekhyun’s face. “Chanyeol, answer me, are you in pain?” he asks, raising his voice in a frantic command.

Speaking words still feels an insurmountable task, but Chanyeol is getting better in knowing where his body parts lie, his control returning drop by drop. He makes a tiny shake of his head, which Baekhyun picks up on right away, since he is scrutinizing Chanyeol so closely. It’s almost visible how Baekhyun’s tension leaves his body, shoulders loosening, exhale drawn out, his hands falling to his sides, his expression the most relieved he’s ever shown, his entire being relaxing. “Oh, thank the Serpent” he mumbles under his breath, closing his eyes for a moment. Chanyeol’s eyes turn sharply to Baekhyun’s lips, widening a little, and then they look up at the man and those wings. The Serpent? Baekhyun knows of the Serpent? But he is always looking at the stars.

Something very uncanny and mysterious is happening here. Is this really Baekhyun?

Chanyeol takes a careful look at the man in front of him. It should be Baekhyun. He is the last person he remembers and his face is the same, his mannerisms, even his concern is the same. Those eyes of blue and silver are not easily replicated nor mistaken. But he looks nothing like Chanyeol’s charred and smoked exterior, like he _should_ look; instead, his appearance is perfectly unruffled, skin clean, hair combed, clothes white and loose, even though he hasn’t worn those in a long time, but even then, there should be any sort of evidence on them. The most perplexing are the wings; Chanyeol can see now that they are attached to Baekhyun’s back, folded naturally, white feathers cascading into one flowing veil all over them. When Baekhyun lifts his head, they move too, and Chanyeol gasps in horror. _What are those things, why are they on Baekhyun, what in the universe happened to us?!_

Baekhyun notices his wordless distress instantly, his eyes widening in a mirroring expression, and he checks behind his back in the direction Chanyeol is staring. The fright leaves from his features but the concern remains, after he realizes that Chanyeol is afraid of what looks like Baekhyun’s wings. Baekhyun doesn’t have wings, for crying out loud! And then said objects lower behind Baekhyun, as if trying to hide behind his back, and Chanyeol turns to give Baekhyun a hysterical look, his heart beating fast in panic and awakening his body, accommodating a few incoherent mumbles from his lips. Baekhyun takes on an expression of gentle sadness.

“I will explain everything to you, my Chanyeol” he promises quietly, his delicate hand reaching out for a comforting touch, but Chanyeol’s hand flinches out of the way instinctively, avoiding the foreign contact. Baekhyun’s expression falls a little, his eyes blinking poignantly after the rejection. A small part of Chanyeol feels a little guilty, because _if_ this is Baekhyun, who is very insecure about being allowed to touch Chanyeol, then the latter has just hurt his feelings. But Chanyeol can’t be sure of anything, not when he has just survived a coma and imprisonment by his own kind, and then has woken up in a strange place, with a person who might or might not be Baekhyun.

He struggles to sit up a little straighter, his limbs heavy and clumsy but manageable. He can see that _this person_ wants to help him, but he doesn’t dare, simply watching him instead, with furrowed eyebrows and thinned lips. Chanyeol slumps against the wood and takes a moment to regain his breath.

“Where are we? What happened?” he asks, his voice hoarse from disuse. He frowns, watching with suspicious eyes every movement of the man, as he sits more comfortably and folds his legs across from Chanyeol; the wings keep fidgeting to help his balance and a small voice is screaming about them in Chanyeol’s head without respite, he honestly hates it.

“Do you remember being imprisoned by Countess Irene in the Black Mountains?” the man asks sympathetically, his voice laced with patience, his eyes carefully examining Chanyeol’s reaction. _He must be Baekhyun._ Chanyeol’s frown deepens as he tries to remember everything.

“She visited us, with Sir Do and Counselor Suho; we had a plan to get out” he says, pictures forming in his head clearly as he recounts them. “I was supposed to burn them, until they couldn’t go out in the sun without sleeping for a day, and then you’d come out of your hiding spot and we would sneak out” he tries to remember something more recent, his thoughts stepping into a very distressing memory. “I remember burning them; but then you came out while the flames were still wild and you tried to reach me and-”

“Shh, calm down, you’ve done well” Baekhyun stops him before he hyper ventilates, his eyes wide in terror as if he is reliving every moment of the incident. Baekhyun’s voice calms him a little, and he tries to compose himself and appease his heart, his eyes looking around again, to ensure they are no longer in the mountain cells. His gaze falls on Baekhyun, who has one hand extended towards him with the initial intention to touch him, but he catches himself before Chanyeol can comprehend what is happening, and his reaching hand curls to a fist. It hovers in the air between them for a moment, before Baekhyun lowers his arm back to his side, his expression indecipherable. “Yes, that was the plan, and your flames were beautiful” he assures Chanyeol, a small smile curling his lips fondly, his hands lacing on his lap.

Chanyeol feels like he has done something very wrong in avoiding Baekhyun’s touch; just once was enough to equal a final rejection, which obviously hurts Baekhyun, yet he is still kind to Chanyeol. Hurting someone nice has always been the last thing Chanyeol would want to do, and now, of all people, he has hurt _Baekhyun_.

Before Chanyeol can apologize, or utter another word, Baekhyun exhales and shakes his head sadly, redirecting his attention to their former, very pressing conversation. “But they wouldn’t be enough to get us out, I already knew that when we came up with the plan” he admits quietly, his gaze dropping to the ground. Chanyeol stares at him speechless; what is Baekhyun saying?

“There was a flash of light” the taller notes a fleeting image in his memory.

Baekhyun wiggles in his seat on the ground self-consciously. “That was me” he mumbles in a small voice, his gaze still lowered bashfully. Chanyeol frowns.

“You didn’t burn” he notes again, in the same flat, distrustful tone, his eyes always glued on Baekhyun, who starts playing with his fingers uncomfortably.

“I waited until they would be blind enough to us, and then I came to you, and I took you away” he mumbles timidly, so low and unclear, as if he doesn’t really wishes to say it. Chanyeol catches every syllable nonetheless, feeling perplexed as to their meaning afterwards. Baekhyun is talking about a secret plan he didn’t even know, which doesn’t make sense at all, and if that is supposed to be his halfhearted explanation, he’d better try again.

“How, where are we?” he presses, his surroundings starting to seem alarmingly unfamiliar. He has never heard of the things he sees here, and he is sure the mountains would be visible if they had escaped somewhere secluded nearby. To fuel his worries further, when he tries to connect with the forest and the plants around him, he can’t feel anything, as if they don’t…exist. There are no signs of life, every leaf and branch remaining undetected in spite of his best efforts, non-existent beyond his eyes and basic senses. The spheres of light floating in the air around them unobtrusively remind him of the first day he met Baekhyun, and how he couldn’t sense them as something animate either.

How he couldn’t sense Baekhyun.

The man in front of him sighs, his shoulders dropping completely in surrender before he squares them properly, giving Chanyeol a serious look. “We crossed realities, Chanyeol” he announces somberly, but he remains calm, far from how Chanyeol feels. If this is true, then… _What?_ Baekhyun responds to Chanyeol’s utter dismay with a torn look. “We are on an island in Nowhere; this is where I come from” he finishes his explanation, which sounds like one dreadful, imaginative tale, to be honest. It’s like a bad dream he desperately wants to wake up from.

How can they be in _nowhere_?

He remembers Baekhyun explaining about realities like a slideshow of motion pictures in his memory; nowhere is as real as somewhere. But what does that mean for them? Nowhere is accessible, how, does it operate in different ways, could they be in danger? No, this can’t be true. He doesn’t care if Baekhyun’s explanation makes sense in some aspects, about Chanyeol’s ineffective senses, the strange colors of the flowers, the emptiness of life or any creatures at all besides them, the unfamiliar sky, the drastic change of scenery, the silence. This can’t be true. And if Baekhyun assumes this is nowhere, then this can’t be where he comes from, because Chanyeol has seen him in somewhere, he has touched him, heard him, felt him in his arms.

“But you are like me, you are real, I know you, my father knew your father!” he exclaims, his protests falling from his lips in quick succession, his thoughts racing in his head to see if it will burst before his heart. It can’t be true. Baekhyun is part of his world, he has been for a long time and not just in the general sense. They are the same, Baekhyun is a hybrid too, he can’t be non-existent, Chanyeol can’t be so alone in the world and Baekhyun can’t be a liar, no…

Baekhyun extends a hand in a pacifying gesture, chasing Chanyeol’s frantic gaze and keeping steady eye contact with him when he manages to look him in the eyes. “Let’s take it one thing at a time, Chanyeol” he proposes gently, his gaze sincere, even though he is not very fond of the idea; Chanyeol knows him well enough to recognize the line curving his lips as sadness, that same tender sadness that he has seen so many times before in Baekhyun’s expression.

Chanyeol keeps staring into Baekhyun’s familiar eyes because he finds them comforting, his breaths slowly returning to normal and his thoughts untangling. There are many things he would like to know, he has many unanswered questions, but the only thing that keeps curving back to his mind and scratching at his lips to be let out is just one question. He takes a short breath and whispers it fearfully. “What are you?”

It seems to be a difficult question to answer, because Baekhyun’s eyes turn guarded and he bites his lip for a moment. _Why is he not saying he is like me? He must._ Chanyeol feels a little helpless as the moments tick by and the answer he is expecting is not breaking the silence. Baekhyun’s expression changes again, to a vulnerable one, sadness and pain contort his features, his eyes shining with tears as he takes a small breath. “I am a material nothing; a wandering soul, to be exact. Like these” he gestures to the floating lights around them, and some of them swirl in the air. Chanyeol’s stomach drops and he glances at the luminous orbs, and then at Baekhyun, who has lowered his eyes dejectedly, tears falling to his lap every time he blinks.

Why does it feel like he is telling the truth? Why does Baekhyun believe what he is saying? Chanyeol shakes his head, a refusal hanging from his gaping lips.

“You don’t look like them” he presses, but his voice cracks. No, he can’t believe it. He wishes Baekhyun will dismiss this all as a joke; maybe he will wake up and all this will have been a dream; maybe this is someone else’s soul he is reading; maybe this is an intricate, twisted illusion. Chanyeol fights with everything he has against that little voice whispering to him that this is _real_.

“I used to; but then you came into the picture” Baekhyun answers, wiping the tears from his jaw with the heels of his palms. _Baekhyun…looked like this? Like a small ball of pure light?_ But Baekhyun is a person, and these souls, or anything they might be, they are not people. Chanyeol can’t wrap his head around it, even if all this is real after all. Baekhyun smears away the tears from the corners of his eyes and the looks up at Chanyeol, trying to hold his frail composure. “These souls live on this island in the company of each other, but sometimes the wind blows them off the shore and into your world; that’s how I came there. I was wandering for many years, until I passed near your city, and then through your city, and then under your window” his expression breaks at this and his tears return, his voice catching in his throat, but he keeps staring into Chanyeol’s eyes, begging him to understand. “You were a child with horrible nightmares then, and you wished for someone to love and accept you; do you remember?”

Chanyeol wishes he could say yes. He wishes he could make sense of what Baekhyun is trying so hard to tell him through his tears. But he can’t remember a definitive moment, one picture or one sound that could pass. Yes, as a child he used to have abhorrent nightmares, which chased him into adulthood too. His constant and only wish ever since he can remember himself was to find a home, to be surrounded by love and acceptance. It wasn’t just one time he wished, or two, or twenty; he wished for that every day and every night, chanting it in his head again and again, until it became a reflexive thought pattern throughout his life.

“It’s vague” he admits quietly. Baekhyun’s expression twists and he averts his eyes, turning his head to the side a little, to hide his tortured cry. His nose scrunches as his lips part tremblingly taut over his clenched teeth, his brows furrowing and his eyes narrowing, the tears overflowing. Chanyeol’s answer caused him such pain and sadness; Chanyeol is hurting him, he can see he is hurting Baekhyun, but he doesn’t know how to stop it. There is something twisting unpleasantly inside him, making him feel sick.

Baekhyun covers his mouth with his hand for a moment, trying to get a hold of himself, and he turns to Chanyeol again with a sharp breath, looking a bit more wrecked than before but sober enough to continue. “Your wish reached me, and because I-” he stops himself abruptly, reconsidering his words while looking into Chanyeol’s eyes, and Chanyeol wishes he could read his thoughts in that moment. “I understood, because your soul connected to mine, and I came true as your wish. All I knew was that I wanted to come to life, to believe your pain and cross the border between creatures of your world and mine” his voice is so quiet he is almost whispering his words, and then a sad, nostalgic smile curls on his lips, his tears still falling. “You might not remember this, but we’ve met, before that day in the forest. It was one night, when your classmates had hurt you and you were crying alone in the woods; I was there to comfort you”

Chanyeol’s breaths have turned short and mildly panicked, his heart hurting so much in his chest, a physical pain like someone has plunged a dagger through it and keeps pushing it deeper and deeper. He feels like he is losing his mind and Baekhyun is _still_ crying, and Chanyeol is _still_ hurting him. He shakes his head, his own eyes stinging with unshed tears. “Why don’t I remember any of this?”

“Because you are not supposed to” Baekhyun answers, his fists tightening on his lap till the knuckles turn white. “I am…your guardian angel, if you will. I’m supposed to be part of your life, keep you safe, help you fulfill your wishes; but I’m supposed to turn into a ‘vague’ memory afterwards, so that you can live your life without me” his lips curl bitterly for a moment and then tremble to a pained grimace again.

Chanyeol shakes his head in denial, the first tears falling, because all this sounds so real, but he doesn’t want to believe it. “But you’ve been with me all this time” he points out, and it sounds accusing, his voice rising in distress and scaring some of the lights, which retreat to the woods. Baekhyun closes his eyes, withstanding Chanyeol’s accusation like a rock withstands the waves.

“You started on your journey all alone; of course I was worried about you and I thought I should keep my mind on you. I had been living in the woods for years without meeting anyone, the souls providing for me anything I couldn’t do myself. I hadn’t expected you would bump into me” he looks at Chanyeol with wide, disbelieving eyes, but when he sees Chanyeol’s tears, his expression softens to a completely docile one, his eyes tender and fond, his voice melting affectionately. “But you were lost and you needed me, to feel safe for the night. I have been taking your nightmares away with just one touch, every night. Then you were tired and you needed the strength to carry on, to feel like someone cares. Then you were desperate and you needed a hero, to believe you could survive. Do you see how I’ve been everything for you?” he sobs, his body coiling forward in pain, his hands gripping his chest. Chanyeol can only look at the wings on his back, his vision blurry, his mind muddled with shadowy thoughts and clawing emotions.

He is not ungrateful, and Baekhyun _has_ been the most fascinating, kind and loving person he has ever met.

Chanyeol wants to comfort him, but he doesn’t dare reach out. He is afraid that if he touches Baekhyun, he will break, shutter into millions pieces of glass, and his hesitation leads to a spiral of uncertainty and hurt. Baekhyun eventually gets through the worst, he survives it bravely all by himself, and looks up again, his eyes still red.

“I shouldn’t have” he mumbles under his breath, shaking his head full of regrets, more tears running down his cheeks, sliding so fast over the previous ones. “I thought I could take better care of you if I kept a close eye on you, if I stayed with you, but look where that got us; I had to bring you here to save you. But you can’t stay here, so far away from your world for very long, and I don’t know if I can go back” Chanyeol’s heart free-falls in his chest at that. Baekhyun can’t go back, back to their world? Baekhyun sobs again, his hands clutching at his shirt desperately. “I just wanted to be with you, that’s how I am made. I worry over you, every stumble and scratch, they are my responsibility. I belong to you, you’re my family, and I’m lost without you, you’re all I know. Your soul keeps me firmly tied and I cannot stay away. You turn the fragile things I know of into light, and truth, and senses. All I wanted was to be with you, to know your world, to stay in your memory”

If this is Baekhyun’s enduring pain, piercing through Chanyeol’s heart, this small angel has to be the strongest person he knows, because even Chanyeol feels like screaming in agony at the sting.

“Why didn’t you tell me?” he finally finds his voice to ask, feeling betrayed. He thought Baekhyun trusted him; weren’t his feelings enough? Chanyeol told him everything about himself, he opened up and gave Baekhyun everything till there was nothing of him left, and yet Baekhyun kept such a secret, through days and nights they cried and laughed together. At least he should have told Chanyeol that he’s not all Chanyeol thought he were, instead of letting him make a fool of himself. “Why did you lie?” he asks weakly, his breath irregular. Baekhyun shakes his head fervently.

“I never lied to you, I cannot lie to you” he mumbles deliriously, still crying rivers of sorrow.

“But I met someone, Baekhyun; someone who looked like you, and sounded like you, and felt like you, but…but you are something completely different!” Chanyeol snaps, hating his loud voice and the accusations in it, his tongue rolling out the words for the sake of his broken heart. If he had known, he wouldn’t be feeling such an idiot for fostering feelings for Baekhyun. Now he feels humiliated, crushed, and those words of love he had meant to tell Baekhyun are mangled behind his teeth, dead before he could utter them. Baekhyun looks at him with more tears, his expression pleading.

“I’m always your Baekhyun”

“Where were your wings then?” Chanyeol presses an obvious point, inwardly loathing himself. Baekhyun is so weak in this moment, barely holding on, and he is kicking a man down, his spiteful words poisoning Baekhyun mercilessly. Baekhyun is still hoping and Chanyeol is destroying everything.

“I can hide them” he hiccups, straightening his back completely and keeping himself together with great effort. The next moment, there are no longer wings on his back, and Baekhyun looks just like he did the first moment Chanyeol laid eyes on him. Chanyeol blinks multiple times incredulously, blinking all his tears away to make sure his vision is clear, and it’s not a trick of his imagination. Baekhyun waits stoically for him to reach his conclusions, and then he hesitantly mumbles “But…read my soul, Chanyeol”

Chanyeol does –and heavens, he has been such a fool. He gasps when Baekhyun’s invisible wings appear to his eyes again, even though they don’t show on the smaller’s back. They are right there, crystal clear, they have been all along! And he wouldn’t know because he promised, he stupidly volunteered for this, by promising to Baekhyun he’d never read his soul without permission. Baekhyun knew what Chanyeol would see, what he’d be forced to confess. _‘Of all the things you could be gifted with’_ , those were Baekhyun’s exact words when he told him, and he should have figured, but he didn’t.

_Worthless fool, fool, fool._

“Leave me” he requests in a cold voice, his blood turning to ice. He doesn’t want to be with Baekhyun when he can’t even stand himself. Baekhyun takes a long look at him, as if fearing it will be the last, his expression conflicted and still tearful. He doesn’t oppose the hardness of Chanyeol’s eyes in the end, rising from the ground, his wings springing behind him once again, and Chanyeol turns his face away, closing his eyes. It’s cruel to treat Baekhyun like this, and he hates himself for it, but there are many more reasons for that at the moment, more than ever before.

“All the love and pain I know are yours. The way I loved you, the way I _do_ love you, won’t change” Baekhyun says softly, and then his wings take him away, leaving Chanyeol in the lingering scent of roses, cradling his broken heart.

~~~

After getting lost in the perplexing forest, Chanyeol finally emerges at a beach. The sand is white and soft, thin specks that feel like satin on the skin, and the borders of the shoreline are marked by black boulders, oddly glassy like solid pieces of precious stone, sloping smoothly and disappearing into the sea. The soft waves lap at the sand and the rock, leaving a wet trail, but the water is too weak to reach very far and there is no wind to guide it. The waters stretch blue into the distance, touching the horizon without obstruction, nothing but endless sea expanding in every direction. The stars are indeed too many for one sky, overlapping and sending an unusually bright light to everything under their watchful gaze, and the moon is fixed in one place in the sky, and it hasn’t moved at all, the Serpent sleeping around it soundly. Chanyeol doesn’t think time applies here, he doesn’t think there’s a place for any sun in the sky; this is a forgotten world and no one lives here, to the end of the world out of sight.

He doesn’t know how long he stayed where Baekhyun left him, crying and screaming out his frustrations, but he thinks he has come to terms with all the extraordinary things that have happened. This day started horribly to end confusingly, and now it is stuck like an unticking clock, waiting for someone to turn the wheels and put life into motion again. His father taught him that sadness is not meant to be lived for long, or it kills you in ways more frightening than death. He was feeling upset and betrayed, he won’t deny that; but he has no choice but to face the facts and make his peace with them. Staying mad at Baekhyun only costs him his happiness, staying lost in nowhere only costs him precious time. He needed to move.

So he went inside the forest, hoping to find Baekhyun, but his search was hopeless; it was impossible to navigate in the empty forest, the trees seeming so confusing for some reason, as if they are not meant to be crossed, and all he could find were stray lights that floated peacefully, like night lanterns. All his bitterness and anger got tangled in the branches and leaves, and now they’re well behind him; he only wants to find Baekhyun, because, even after all that has happened, he is the one thing that matters the most.

And Chanyeol hurt him.

It seems the stars in this sky are auspicious for him, because no sooner has he stepped on the beach, escaping the maze of the forest, than he spots Baekhyun, sitting further away by the shore. He is looking out into the sea, his back turned to Chanyeol, his feet mere centimeters away from where the sea waltzes and retreats. He has curled his legs close to his chest and his shoulders are hunched, arms wrapped around his calves, his chin resting on his knees; he looks small, lonely, his wings gathered close to his body like a blanket of tiny feathers on his back. Chanyeol feels the guilt squeezing his stomach mercilessly, Baekhyun’s sadness tugging at his heart like a very real rope of thorns. He feels so horribly to blame.

“Baekhyun?” he calls quietly, his deep voice not needing much aid to travel the short distance in such silence. Even though he has surely heard him, Baekhyun doesn’t respond at first, at least not verbally. He only lowers his head further and his wings shuffle, as if he’s trying to shrink. Chanyeol hates to be the reason for this; he was overwhelmed and confused, but Baekhyun has always been kind to him, honest, supportive, patient, and it has nothing to do with what he is to Chanyeol, but everything to do with who he is and what Chanyeol is to him.

He is a wonderful person and he loves Chanyeol.

At least Chanyeol hopes so, because he hopes Baekhyun will forgive him and take him back, his affection unwavering, even when Chanyeol is being one big, blind idiot. He walks closer to Baekhyun slowly, hesitantly, his steps heavy, until he is standing a few steps away on Baekhyun’s right, but the shorter doesn’t even glance his way, acts as if he is not there. Chanyeol is not discouraged though, because he notices the curious quirk of Baekhyun’s brow, which the shorter stubbornly tries to pass off as a pout. There might be hope after all, a chance that Chanyeol doesn’t feel like he deserves.

“I’m sorry I yelled at you” Chanyeol apologizes sincerely, his voice now quiet but his words clear; hopefully his apology will be a little soothing to Baekhyun, even though he will never be able to forget the wounded look on Baekhyun’s face, the immeasurable sadness in his eyes, when Chanyeol pushed him away. Chanyeol takes a deep breath, feeling the tears resurfacing. “I’m sorry for the things I said. I was just…” he trails off, the fingers of his awkwardly clasped hands tangling nervously. He doesn’t know of a way to explain the things he thought and how he felt, without aggravating Baekhyun and hurting him more deeply. His own heart is aching, for being unable to reach out to Baekhyun and wrap around him protectively; all this time, Baekhyun had been protecting Chanyeol, only to receive the worst blow by him.

“I know how you felt” Baekhyun relieves him of the burden to finish his question after a while of silence, his words a bit mumbled grudgingly, but there is more endearment than bite to them. Although it appears to be a rather favorable turnout for Chanyeol at the moment, the taller can’t help his confusion; how does Baekhyun know? Baekhyun finally gives him a short, sideways glance, and Chanyeol’s frowning eyebrows are enough for him to explain. “I can sense your feelings. I know you can sense mine too, if I don’t have my guard up” he says matter-of-factly, and Chanyeol’s eyes widen a little in fluster; Baekhyun knew all along that Chanyeol could do that? And Baekhyun was in control of it? Heavens know what he might have picked up unknowingly, but Chanyeol sincerely prays it’s not his puppy love for him. Baekhyun gives him a longer glance with an erroneous smirk. “We’re not exactly the regular sort of people” he says sullenly, his eyes gazing far into the sea. Chanyeol doesn’t have an answer for that, so he keeps his lips shut.

“Do you want me here or you’d rather be alone for a while?” he asks timidly, shuffling his feet uncomfortably. If Baekhyun is not in a good mood and needs time to himself, Chanyeol can wait; he will curl up in that lovely corner by the rocks and wait until Baekhyun feels better so they can talk. Baekhyun heaves a sigh.

“I _always_ want you here, haven’t you noticed?” he retorts bitterly, giving Chanyeol a look which makes him feel a little insensitive; Baekhyun is right. He told him earlier, that all he’s ever wanted was to be with him, it’s what has led them to this mess, and here he is after everything, asking the most obvious and useless questions. He lowers his eyes apologetically, his lips pouting dejectedly; he didn’t mean to upset Baekhyun. There is a small pause and then Baekhyun turns to look at him; it’s as if Chanyeol can sense his eyes and he lifts his gaze to look back just in time. Baekhyun looks remorseful. “I’m sorry; I’m just tired, and scared” he makes amends, patting the sandy ground next to him as an invitation for Chanyeol to sit beside him. Chanyeol reluctantly joins him, keeping a little distance between them, but he understands Baekhyun didn’t mean to snap at him.

“I’m scared too” he admits apprehensively, taking a long look at Baekhyun’s curved shoulders and slumped wings, the downward slant of his eyes, his pouting lips. They are both scared, and it is clear that they fear for the future; Baekhyun said that Chanyeol doesn’t belong here and that it’s doubtful he will be able to return with him. A life without each other is what scares them the most, but it seems so inevitable. Chanyeol wants to comfort Baekhyun, because it must be difficult to be apart for him, maybe even more so than Chanyeol’s broken heart. He reaches out instinctively for Baekhyun’s hand but he stops himself a little before they touch; is he allowed to? Baekhyun is different now, will Chanyeol’s touch harm him? Baekhyun looks at his hovering hand over his own and then gives Chanyeol a bewildered look. “I…” Chanyeol stutters, flustered; _I wanted to touch you, may I?_ It sounds so wrong.

“You can touch me” Baekhyun solves the problem easily, knowing Chanyeol better than the back of his hand, which comes as another stab to the chest. In fact, he takes initiative, turning his hand to catch Chanyeol’s hesitant fingers, weaving them together. Nothing bad happens like Chanyeol feared; it feels like always, Baekhyun’s fingers more slim and a bit colder, fitting comfortably against Chanyeol’s. _‘I’m always your Baekhyun’. That’s what he said._ He looks up at Baekhyun with watery eyes, trying to say so much at once but failing in pain; Baekhyun has the strength to return a little smile, which brings a twinge of disappointment inside Chanyeol. How could he do this to Baekhyun; he hurt such a strong person being childishly clumsy, and even now, Baekhyun hides his pain, for Chanyeol’s sake. “I’m yours, remember?”

That reminds Chanyeol of another apology he had been planning, hitting him like an arrow to the heart. He has a lot to be sorry for.

“Baek, please know that I never meant to enslave you like this” he says, his brows curling on his forehead pitifully, both his hands encasing Baekhyun’s hand pleadingly. Baekhyun tilts his head to the side in confusion. “I didn’t mean to have you ‘belong’ to me” Chanyeol mutters, his last words mumbled guiltily. Baekhyun says he is ‘Chanyeol’s’ and he is an awful lot dependent on him, even if he doesn’t let it show; his happiness, his worries, his every thought depends on Chanyeol and how he feels, what he thinks, just because he exists. Baekhyun is his own person, but he has to feel and think for two, and the responsibility is agonizingly immense. When Chanyeol made his wish, he couldn’t have had imagined that another person’s freedom would be sacrificed for him.

Baekhyun seems to understand now, and his expression turns serious, but it’s still mellow as he shakes his head slowly.

“I wanted this” he reassures Chanyeol, his thumb pressing comforting circles in Chanyeol’s palm; he sounds sure of himself, unrepentant. He looks at Chanyeol in the eyes openly, trying to ease his conscience and making sure his point gets across. “You are the best thing that ever happened to me” he confesses confidently, his gaze soft and affectionate; he bites his wobbling lip and if he notices Chanyeol’s slightly blushing cheeks, he doesn’t say anything, letting the silence fall like a leaf from the branch. Chanyeol feels like there is more to be said, but Baekhyun averts his eyes after a while, turning his gaze to the sand by his feet and kicking it around lightly. “But a ghost haunting you for life is probably not what you had in mind when you made your wish, right?” he mumbles, a bit hurt and withdrawn. Chanyeol frowns at his words.

“Ghost?” he asks, confused. “Aren’t you an angel?”

“Is it any different?” Baekhyun mumbles under his breath, his own brows furrowing on his forehead with private thoughts. Chanyeol feels puzzled; he doesn’t know much of such species –he didn’t even know they existed–, so he doesn’t know the answer to Baekhyun’s question; but…

“Ghosts are people who have…died” he says timidly, his words sounding strange to his ears. Baekhyun is an immortal –or, in any case, very much alive in both worlds. Baekhyun turns to look at Chanyeol in the eyes with incredible tranquility.

“I have died too; before I was born” he says innocently. Chanyeol is pretty sure his heart stops for a second, his breath lodging in his throat, and if the world weren’t so silent around him, he would be overwhelmed by the unbearable screams of his nightmares echoing in his mind; Baekhyun can’t mean that. But the smaller looks perfectly serious, and he can’t lie, which means…he really died once? Chanyeol’s eyes are wide in dismay, and he feels like the ground has suddenly disappeared, and the world is spinning, turned upside down. Baekhyun squeezes his fingers comfortingly, as if to assure him he is really here now, no matter the past, but those words will haunt Chanyeol’s dreams for the rest of his life.

“I told you I never met my family, and they have been dead, since long ago. Your father helped me, he knew many things about them” Baekhyun starts to explain, but then a sudden thought crosses his mind and he derails a little. “Your father knew what I really am, Chanyeol, and he knew we’d come to this; he just wanted what’s best for you” he justifies, troubled that his words have hurt Chanyeol; but the latter is more concerned over Baekhyun, rather than his father keeping secrets. He has read the man’s soul, he knows that his father has never meant ill-will towards him, and in time he will think it through and forgive him. But, for now, for the time he has with Baekhyun which is slipping away…

“Tell me about your parents” he prods, making a dismissive gesture on the topic of his father. It seems nearly impossible to have shared so much with a person and know him so little; now that they keep no more secrets, he wants to know as much as he can of all that he has missed. Baekhyun takes a moment to examine his expression and figure if that’s what Chanyeol really wants, before he resumes his story with a tinge of sadness in his voice.

“My parents looked a little like me, I suppose. My appearance is not a trick; I really am a vampire hybrid” he admits quietly, withdrawing his hand from Chanyeol’s hold. He looks down at his fingers playing in his lap, a shadow of insecurity and shame draping over him. “My father was a vampire, with iolite blue eyes. He was a nobleman, like your father, but not as powerful and certainly not as moral. Amongst his many sins, he seduced my mother; she was a star, and she fell from the sky for him” his voice gets softer when he speaks of his mother, as if he is afraid to mention her aloud. His lashes fall heavy over his eyes, one blue, like his father’s, one silver, like his mother’s, and he wanders off in his thoughts for a while of silence.

Chanyeol’s lips gape a little; Baekhyun is a…star.

And it makes perfect sense, for some reason.

Baekhyun looks like he tosses a few complicated thoughts aside after a while, and resumes his speech. “She thought it was true love, he thought it was a game. Even so, I’d like to believe that they were happy at some point, each for their own reasons; but I don’t think they were” he shakes his head sadly, his eyes glazing over with impending tears. “He bound her, but she wasn’t the first. She must have known, but she still loved him. She was pregnant when he left her; I don’t know if he knew, but even if he did, he wouldn’t care. He got bored, he didn’t want a life with her, he never wanted a child, so he returned to the layer” Baekhyun wipes the first tears that have escaped on his cheeks and takes a shaky breath. Chanyeol’s tears fall silently as he watches Baekhyun unveiling his cold, tender wounds.

“The vampires punished him by ‘death’ short after his return. He is no more than a broken stone statue in a dark pit of the mountain now, has been for centuries, your father saw it happen. The victims of his decadent crimes received the justice they deserved; even his mates were considered free of their bonds. But my mother…” he presses his lips sadly through his tears and shakes his head. ”She was the only one who needed him, and she was left all alone. There was no one to turn to for help; she grew desperate. She had nowhere to go, in a strange and confusing world, and the stars wouldn’t accept her back into the sky…so she killed herself, before I was born” Baekhyun is crying endlessly now, tears falling in fast succession from his red-rimmed eyes, his breath straining against his heartbeats, making his entire body shiver helplessly. He covers his face with both hands, hunching his back from the invisible burden on his shoulders.

He sees Baekhyun as a little bird trapped in a cage, all his memories bringing him strong emotions, afraid of the call towards the sky he was born. Chanyeol feels Baekhyun’s pain in his heart; how is it possible he never knew so much suffering was hiding behind Baekhyun’s every smile and every word? When he closes his eyes and tries to wish it away, it’s still there, gnawing with sharp teeth at his chest and tearing it apart.

It is always there, inside Baekhyun, the pain of a life he was deprived of and a love he never received.

“Those who bear my fate become the same thing; souls wandering in Nowhere. I begged the stars to take me back, but all my life they’ve been dreadfully silent; I can’t be amongst them, I am banned from my homeland” he continues haltingly, clumsily swiping at his flushed face to catch the tears but they are everywhere, and they keep falling. His story strikes a bit too close to Chanyeol’s heart, the darkness inside him igniting by the fire Baekhyun gave him, grieving and gathering. Baekhyun takes a small, deep breath, trying to compose himself and failing, but he still turns to Chanyeol, who is crying for Baekhyun, biting his lip to stay quiet.

“I chose to make your wish come true because I saw through your heart, Yeol. I know what it is like to be so profoundly lonely. I know rejection, I know pain. I know what it’s like to be trapped in an immortal life without love” his words slice open Chanyeol’s soul, his chest aching more than ever before, his teeth clenching tightly against the pain. They are both lying in pieces with no one to make them whole, but Baekhyun still reaches out to catch one of Chanyeol’s tears and wipe it away, his tongue running over his salty lips apprehensively. “But you know, Chanyeol; even if I were a star, I’d still love you”

~~~

The sun is shining in its rightful place in the sky, glimmering in the distance on the calm seawaters. They are standing on a small hill by the sea cliffs, the light summer’s breeze mixing the scents of waves and fresh grass, depending on its direction. The cliffs lower along the shoreline further away, until they become level with the sea, where a rustic seaport is fitted snuggly, surrounded by a small town. A long road leads from it towards the mainland, where a fine city is built, quiet and bright against the endless hills of green grass, tiled roofs and vibrant gardens looking like small paint strokes of color. The land curves under the blue sky, and the town looks like a picture from a children’s storybook, bubbly and welcoming in the sky’s embrace.

“This is a good place for you” Baekhyun says quietly, gazing at the colorful town “You will have a good life here” he assures Chanyeol, his words sounding like a promise. Naturally, Baekhyun would know of the right place for Chanyeol, a safe place for him. But his words also hide a self-assuring quality, because they both know that no matter how good a place is, even for someone as irregular as Chanyeol, the best place for him will always be beside Baekhyun. It goes against Baekhyun’s instincts to leave him behind, it would never be his choice to abandon him, but this decision is not his to make.

And perhaps he is right; by nightfall, Chanyeol will have settled somewhere in that city, and he will have a blanket over his shoulders, a roof over his head, and a tentative plan for the future. He might find a house, somewhere in a quiet neighborhood, with pretty flowers and smiling people. Time works in mysterious ways, transience is inevitable, constantly moving forward and smoothening the edges of unfamiliar beginnings. He will start the first day of the rest of his life, in a place he hasn’t met yet. But will it ever be a home?

Chanyeol is afraid of the answer.

He looks at Baekhyun, who is standing close beside him. He is reflecting more light than the sun, his skin glowing healthily, his white clothes pristine and unruffled. The breeze plays in his hair, tossing the black strands playfully, and it ruffles the feathers of the large wings on his back. His eyelashes flutter. A scent or roses wafts to Chanyeol’s nose, and he wonders how he hadn’t seen it sooner; Baekhyun is an angel, even without the wings. His expression is soft as he gazes at the scenery, his pretty fingers drawing invisible lines of what his eyes see. Looking at Baekhyun, Chanyeol knows.

He is losing his one and only home today.

It couldn’t happen any other way; Chanyeol is not an immaterial creature and his place is in this world. He couldn’t stay with Baekhyun, and Baekhyun couldn’t return with him either; the spirits need him on their island. They will be separated by time and space, and by the invisible boundary between realities. _Chanyeol and Baekhyun_ , everything they are, will vanish for the sake of a fleeting, everlasting lifetime. Baekhyun will still be taking care of Chanyeol from afar, but he can’t stay beside him anymore. Chanyeol cannot imagine a life without Baekhyun beside him, but he has to.

“Baekhyun” his voice is carrying a quiet pain, an infinite longing that nestles in his heart. What if this is the last time he can call Baekhyun’s name? What if this is the last time he can touch him, and hear him, and _feel_ him? The fear that Baekhyun will disappear in a blink and will be lost forever is tangible in Chanyeol’s hands, it’s inevitable. He now understands what it must have felt like for Baekhyun, every time they met and parted, his heart beating in his chest in a million pieces, held together only by a string of Baekhyun’s faith in him. _It hurts._

“What is it, Yeol?” Baekhyun answers the call readily, his expression serene, a small smile playing on the edges of his soft lips. His puppy eyes twinkle happily when he looks up at Chanyeol, silver and blue shining brightly; he must be in pain, Chanyeol remembers his words clearly, but he doesn’t show it in the least. For Chanyeol’s sake, Baekhyun has a brave, optimistic smile, and wishes him the best in a life that he once dreamed of sharing. But he is not pretending; the innocent expression Chanyeol had missed is genuine, his eyesmiles are dazzling and could be nothing but heartfelt. His pain is shimmering inside his chest, but he is happy too; emotions are complicated, far from black and white.

And Chanyeol thinks of all the countries he will never travel with Baekhyun, all the mornings he won’t wake up next to him and the nights he won’t hold him, all the flowers they won’t plant together in their garden and the ships they won’t watch sailing in the sea from the window of their home. He can’t hope that the horizon will ever bring them closer, or that he will see Baekhyun again. And he is afraid; what if he forgets? He knows it is practically impossible, but he is so, so scared that one day he will wake up and he won’t be able to remember what Baekhyun felt like in his arms, the color of his eyes, the crinkles of his laugh. He will be just someone, somewhen, somewhere and nowhere.

“I’ll miss you” Chanyeol whispers, his heart breaking all over again, as if once is never enough. _I’ll miss you, I’ll miss you, I’ll miss you._ His eyes begin to sting with tears, the fire in his chest curling small in a depressed bundle. He will miss Baekhyun, for every minute and every hour they are apart, it feels like that is all he will ever do.

Baekhyun’s eyes soften, his eyebrows furrowing momentarily in concern before his expression settles into a sad smile. “I’m not leaving” he says, his hand threading in Chanyeol’s hair and massaging the roots comfortingly; Chanyeol leans into the touch, one hand holding onto Baekhyun’s wrist, his eyes overflowing with tears. One of them falls hot on Baekhyun’s skin but Chanyeol doesn’t blink them away; his eyes are wide open and all he can see is Baekhyun, he has been for a long time. Baekhyun presses his lips pensively, troubled by Chanyeol’s tears; he did say he doesn’t like it when Chanyeol cries, but the latter can’t help it. A big part of his life will be gone forever so soon, sooner than they deserved.

“I just won’t be an active part in your life, but I will always be here. You can dream of me, think of me, reminisce our time together. I will be keeping your nightmares away” Baekhyun promises, with the hopeful little smile of a child, but his eyes reflect great darkness and sorrow. He doesn’t mention how he will be exiled again, roaming an empty forest alone, praying for Chanyeol’s happiness and futilely trying to escape into a different realm, even just once, for one moment, just one glimpse, one touch. For all the precious, irreplaceable things Baekhyun means to Chanyeol, even though he is the gift of the universe to him, he can’t protect him; he shakes his head sadly, his tears drenching Baekhyun’s fingers when they ineffectively try to wipe the drops away gently.

If he could, he would wish for a future which exists no more, but he has seen it, in smiles and whispers.

In his heart, he will follow Baekhyun, and he will hold him, always.

“I’m sorry” _I love you._

Chanyeol embraces Baekhyun carefully, his arms mindful of the great wings on the smaller’s back, but he draws him against his chest with desperation, longing, and a mournful sense of surrender. Baekhyun reciprocates fervently, holding him close. It’s a quiet moment, a secret from the world, a stolen piece of time they can turn into a memory, equally painful and consoling. There is a beautiful feeling connecting them, their bodies flush against each other, as if trying to merge; Chanyeol tightens his hold on Baekhyun when he feels his body tremble in his arms, the darkness in his heart spilling through the cracks. Even the strongest people live with their greatest weakness. Baekhyun clings onto him, his cheek pressed against Chanyeol’s shoulder, and Chanyeol buries his face in the crook of Baekhyun’s neck, etching to memory his scent, his warmth, his heartbeat. His tears dampen Baekhyun’s skin and the shorter whispers unintelligibly under his breath, his lips mumbling against Chanyeol’s shirt. Tomorrow will bring the sweet scents of summer surely, for both of them, even if they are apart.

It could be an eternity and it would still be too soon when Baekhyun tiptoes and cranes his neck to kiss the stray tears on Chanyeol’s cheek, his lips pressing softly on the side of his face, before he nuzzles Chanyeol’s jaw affectionately, urging him to look up. When he does, he sees Baekhyun, cheeks pink and eyes slightly red-rimmed, but still so beautiful.

“Let go” Baekhyun ekes, his wings spreading behind him against the brilliant light. Chanyeol shakes his head, refusing to loosen his hold. If Baekhyun leaves, if Chanyeol lets him, it will be forever; can’t they cheat time? Baekhyun blinks in affliction and kisses Chanyeol’s chin reverently, his eyes closed, his breath sweetening Chanyeol’s lips. He doesn’t have to tiptoe anymore, his wings elevating him in Chanyeol’s arms, and he gazes deep into Chanyeol’s eyes one last time before he kisses his forehead, his lips lingering. “I can’t hold on, Chanyeol. Release me” he pleas, with a twinge of anguish in his husky voice, sending a shiver down Chanyeol spine.

 _When you leave, take me with you_ , Chanyeol prays fruitlessly, watching Baekhyun slowly rising further than he can reach. He feels heavier, like the world has tilted, the further Baekhyun goes. He gazes at Baekhyun’s beautiful wings, begging them silently not to take him away. Baekhyun keeps his eyes on Chanyeol until the last moment, his tears falling like crystal droplets from the sky; and then he is gone, a twinkle of life which vanishes in a sunray.

~~~

Chanyeol opens the door, the familiar chime of the little bell bringing a smile to his lips. It’s still dark outside, the city sleeping soundly, chilly air walking the streets and making the streetlights giggle in the silence. It’s a usual time for him to start the day, airing the shop and sweeping the floor, the faraway sound of singing waves, the crisp air and the heavy blanket of silence keeping his mind peaceful as he works. He’s not entirely awake, not until he lights the fire in the ovens, its warm glow caressing and leaving between his fingers to get comfortable in the little baking nook at the back room of the shop.

He kneads the first batch of bread and watches it slowly rising and turning crisp by the fire with a cup of warm tea in hand, sitting at the threshold between the two rooms of the shop to keep an eye on everything. This small interlude helps him clear his head and plan his day ahead, the chores and deliveries; sometimes he gets too busy to breathe, but that is not necessarily bad, because it keeps his mind preoccupied. His business is going very well, enough that he could hire an assistant, but he prefers working alone; he can manage his shop, and he branches out only as far as he is comfortable with, keeping his bakery brand small but well-known.

He is the middle of arranging the fresh loaves of bread in the display when a familiar figure appears in the threshold. The short body of his visitor is vaguely outlined in the fickle glow of the streetlight down the corner, her golden curls shimmering slightly in the darkness. Chanyeol smiles brightly and invites her in like every morning, and she smiles widely to greet him wordlessly, as she takes her usual spot on the high stool he uses to hold the door open while he airs the space.

It was a small miracle really, how she found him again, so far away from the city he used to live before. When he first came here, with no connections or definitive plans, he stumbled upon this house on his way, and the innkeeper told him that the previous baker had left a few months prior; so he bought the bakery, which came with the small apartment over it, and he started his business. Not two days later, a small boy with golden hair and green eyes ran past his shop just as he opened the door in the wee hours of dawn; he reminded Chanyeol of his small companion, back in his homeland, and he tried to befriend the boy too, offering him apples and watching him devour them happily for a few mornings.

But then one morning, instead of the boy, the little girl he had missed appeared inexplicably, still wearing the scarf he gave her, in spite of it being the middle of summer, giving him a wide smile and a warm hug. He was surprised to no extent, but he didn’t question her; her happiness seemed to be the only thing that mattered. He hasn’t seen the little boy since, but she visits every morning without exception. Their routine is a little different from what it used to be; instead of walking a short distance together, she sits by the door while he tinkers around the shop. He always gives her a treat and she still stuffs her cheeks too fast –a sight he had missed–, and they spend some time together, Chanyeol telling stories about his angel and their travels while she swings her legs cheerfully or listens attentively, until it’s time for her to go.

She knocks on the door to get his attention while Chanyeol is in the middle of pacing around with a bowl in his hands, mixing cookie dough and explaining the colors of tulips. She smiles at him innocently when he looks at her with interest, and she jumps down from the stool, careful to throw any crumbs that might have been on her lap outside, and not on the floor. He sets the dough aside and walks to the entrance of his shop, where she is waiting like an obedient puppy with a smile, her eyes glimmering with anticipation. He pats her hair and she giggles –it’s the only casual touch they allow between them occasionally, but they both enjoy the closeness; he had wanted to reach out to her for a long time. He waits with a smile by the door while she skips away, waving at him cheerfully before she disappears round the corner, and slowly, day breaks.

Chanyeol starts baking the cookies he had been preparing, bringing the soft pastries he made last night to the front display, and then he uncovers the colorful candy display by the window; the children who live nearby love to gaze at it on their way to and from school. He sets the cookies aside to cool while he waters the plants on the shop’s front, spring helping them bloom brightly under the first, gentle rays of the sun. The ever-blooming wisterias on either side of the door –a gift from Chen, who grew them personally for Chanyeol the first time he visited– have now started climbing high up the wall of the small building Chanyeol owns, but he can’t bring himself to trim them.

Not long after he has prepared everything for the day, the regular nice old lady comes through the door. Chanyeol has many regular customers and he is personally familiar with all of them. She stops by every morning, buying fresh cookies for her grandchildren’s breakfast and a loaf of bread every other day. They talk about the weather and the children’s school, before she leaves with a hearty, wrinkled smile at her favorite baker. Things are so different from what they used to be.

The people in this town are friendly like her, and they have welcomed Chanyeol into their community with open arms. The children love him and his magic tricks –an excuse he makes up for himself to give them free candy–, old women are always trying to set him up with an eligible young lady they know, and mothers trust him with their children’s birthday cakes without fail. They don’t know anything of his private life, except for the fact that he lives alone and comes from far away, but they are still willing to be friends with him, inviting him for dinner and celebrations in their homes sometimes, greeting him in the street when he is running errands in the market, bringing him homemade gifts and food when they can, to take good care of him. They probably suspect he is not human or sea nymph, like the rest of them, but it matters little to them either way.

He has a peaceful routine and he is grateful for it. The children wave at him as they run hurriedly to school and he waves back from inside his shop, busy with morning customers. He snacks on something between the morning and midday rush, later picking up in his arms the tiny humans, on their way home from school, as they try to run away, pretending they hadn’t been ogling the candy display, and he tickles them, making them laugh before he sets them down and sends them home. He sometimes closes the shop for lunch, but he eats by the fire to have some company anyway, so he usually doesn’t have to close. The evenings are quieter, except for weekends and festivals, so he manages to keep an eye on the front while working on pastries at the back. When the clock strikes eight, he starts closing up and retreats to his apartment, to eat and get some rest.

He has just taken off his apron when the doorbell jingles, and he turns to greet his belated customer –he doesn’t mind the rare visits of customers on odd hours, since he is almost always here.

“I see my flowers are doing well, you’ve finally learnt how to water them” the familiar, complaining voice says instead of a proper greeting, and Chanyeol’s eyes widen in surprise. His childhood friend walks into the shop with a kittenish smirk, casually starting to take off his cloak as if his presence is anticipated, but he is attacked halfway by an excited giant, who even jumps over the counter to get to his friend sooner.

“Chen!” his deep voice booms in delight, his long arms trapping his shorter friend in an enthusiastic hug. He ignores the comment about the wisterias –they both know that Chanyeol has always been better at herbology and Chen only needed a reason to nag– and he squeezes the short male, his smile so wide his cheeks hurt. Chen thrashes around in his hold halfheartedly.

“You’re crushing me, you overexcited puppy!” he protests, with the signature lilt of his voice when he is whining. He tries to push Chanyeol’s chest away once more and Chanyeol relents, taking a step back, but holding Chen’s shoulders at arm’s length. He smiles brightly at his disheveled friend, who makes a grimace to discourage him, but Chanyeol knows he is just as happy to see him again after four months, his lips tugging upwards in a pleased smile no matter what he tries to look like.

“I’m so glad you came, I thought you wouldn’t have time this month” he says, practically bouncing on his heels. He remembers Chen’s last letter about a month ago, where he wrote that he would be travelling close to Chanyeol’s region with the merchants’ caravan, but he’d probably be too busy to stop by and does Chanyeol know any good places to eat? Chanyeol hadn’t been expecting him because, beneath all the jokes, Chen knows how to keep track of his responsibilities, so if he said he’d expected to be busy, Chanyeol believed him. It’s such a pleasant surprise to see him today; he seems to see more of him now than when he lived back in the city, waiting for Chen to return in-between his travels. Chanyeol only wishes he had stocked more food because his skinny friend eats twice his size every day and Chanyeol doesn’t need to keep so much food regularly. Last time Chen visited for a couple of days, he made Chanyeol dress and go to the market on a Sunday in search of edible supplies.

The brunet shrugs nonchalantly. “Well, the caravan found good business at the port, and we’ll stay for the night. So, I thought, where can I find a warm bed, good food and nice company, all for free?” he wiggles his eyebrows at Chanyeol teasingly and the taller laughs, messing Chen’s hair playfully. That earns him an indignant squawk –how dare this giant hybrid offend his not-really-lacking-but-actually-decent elf height?! They start brawling playfully, pinching each other and trying to get an immobilizing grip to win, laughing and yelling like they’re kids again. Chanyeol is careful as always with his less strong and more fragile friend, but he wins in the end, catching Chen’s arms behind the shorter’s back in a grip. Chen whines his surrender until Chanyeol releases him, and then throws his bunched up cloak at Chanyeol’s head as the taller is walking away. He doesn’t reciprocate this time, hanging Chen’s cloak neatly instead in their time of truce, while his friend shimmers down, looking around the shop and meandering closer to the front. “You still busy?”

“No, I just closed up” Chanyeol answers, walking around the front side of the counter again and crossing the shop to lock up. If he is entertaining his friend upstairs, catching up over food by the fireplace, it’s not likely he will be able to help any customer that might walk in. Chen is rummaging his sling bag for something.

“Oh, before I forget my messenger duties, this is from your mom” he announces, fishing a white envelope from his bag, a little creased at the corners, squeezed as it was with the rest of Chen’s belongings. Chanyeol’s mother writes to him regularly after Chen informed her of his new address, about her life and her thoughts, sometimes about stories she hears or remembers. Chen is sometimes the messenger, if he is passing by Chanyeol’s city, other times she sends them with the post carriages, but she somehow makes sure he gets a letter from her at least once a month.

“Thank you” he accepts the letter with a fond smile, tracing its edges with his fingers, but he doesn’t open it just yet. He’d rather read it later, perhaps before he goes to bed, so that he can appreciate each word she has written. He looks up at Chen, biting his lower lip for a moment. “How is she?”

“She is well” his friend assures him right away, and Chanyeol reads through Chen’s most recent memories of her, having tea by the fireplace at his old house. It’s nice to see his mother again, even through his friend’s memories; her hair has grown past her shoulders and she smiles more often. She wants to visit her son soon, but it’s a long journey and she will have to prepare for a few months before she can actually leave. Chen doesn’t notice Chanyeol’s reverie and he keeps moving around, inspecting the shop curiously while he chatters endlessly.

“She and your father exchange letters every day from what she has told me, it’s like they’re courting each other all over again; man, your parents love each other” the shorter smiles to himself at that thought, secretly finding it romantic. He knows of Chanyeol’s father because he has told his friend everything, and now Chen makes sure to keep an eye on both his parents whenever he visits their old city, even though those two probably need little else now that they have each other again.

Chanyeol thinks it’s nice, although he feels a little cheated he can’t be around to watch his parents’ love blossom again. Ever since his father managed to escape the layer like he said he would, he has settled somewhere near his mother; they don’t live together, but they see each other often and they spend time together whenever they can. His mother has never been happier than in her recent letters; his father sends him letters too, but not as often, for fear they will be intercepted and traced back to his location –he is supposed to be hiding from hordes of bloodthirsty vampires for now. He has no real need for that, being so powerful, of course; sometimes Chanyeol thinks his father allows such mundane restrictions on himself because his life seems less infinite that way. He might be immortal, but his life is to be lived, too.

Chen finally stops in front of the soft desserts display, leaning with both hands on the glass to peer at the sweets; Chanyeol would scold him for his childish habits, leaving fingerprints all over the glass case, but he is too happy to see his friend after months to be mean to him. “So, I hear the angel cake is good here?” Chen prods casually, but he glances up at Chanyeol with an indecipherable look, which Chanyeol chooses not to read in his soul, pretending he didn’t notice.

“It’s the most popular” he confirms with a proud smile, glancing at the practically empty display. The angel cakes are individual soft cakes with strawberry mousse, covered by sweet chantilly, over which Chanyeol pipes the image of two open, white wings. They are a signature dessert for his bakery, and people of all ages love them; Chanyeol loves them too, even though sometimes they bring back memories that depress him. They were made with a certain someone in mind, after all. He shakes his head to focus back on his friend, who is watching his reaction closely, not bothering to hide his smart stare. “Do you want some?” Chanyeol proposes with an easy smile, and Chen sighs under his breath before he lets go of whatever had been troubling him.

“Sure; after dinner” he specifies with a smug smirk, and suddenly, dinner for two is in the picture and it’s naturally Chanyeol’s responsibility to prepare it –he doesn’t really mind, if anything he’ll enjoy making dinner for his friend and he is used to it after so many years, but Chanyeol feels the need to act a little grumpy, in the name of the childish spirit of their friendship. He gives Chen a halfheartedly strict look, which the shorter reciprocates with a shrug of his bony shoulders and a deadpan look. “What, I’m hungry”

“We’ll take it upstairs” Chanyeol chuckles, shaking his head at his always hungry friend, as he takes the last angel cake out of the display. He leads through the back room to the stairs that lead to the apartment, his friend following him loosely; he has been here enough times to be already familiar and comfortable with the space. Chanyeol extinguishes the low fire in the oven for today as usual, without even having to glance at it, and he hears Chen gasp behind him.

“I will never, and I mean _never_ , get used to some weird sides of you” he accuses benevolently, and Chanyeol chuckles heartily at the distressed face his friend is making while staring at the blackened oven. One of Chen’s best qualities, which Chanyeol never failed to appreciate, is how his friend doesn’t judge superficially; he might call Chanyeol a ‘weird, scary vampy’ to tease him endearingly, but not once has he meant his words as an insult. Of course Chanyeol is different, and Chen always sees that, but he doesn’t think it’s a bad thing; in his secretly mushy heart, he loves Chanyeol like a brother and he wouldn’t change him for the world.

They enter Chanyeol’s humble home quietly, taking off their shoes by the doorway –Chen manages to toss them upside down on top of Chanyeol’s shoes, true to his harmlessly messy habits. The apartment is not anything astounding, but it’s roomy enough for one, maybe even two people. It has two bedrooms and a nice bathroom down the hallway, a spacious kitchen and an open plan for the living room and dining room. Chanyeol has renovated everything since he bought it, working little by little on pieces of the house, so it feels like there is not a stone in it his hands haven’t touched. His most sought addition was the large fireplace in the living area, where his fire always burns, day and night.

They meander to the kitchen, where Chanyeol sets the cake aside and pulls out a pot and the kettle, with the intension of making some tea they can sip on while he works on dinner. Chen leans over the counter on the far side, watching unobtrusively, and the kitchenware makes it to the stove before his friend speaks again –if you ask Chanyeol, it must have been a feat for Chen to stay silent that long.

“Speaking of angels…” he starts, pausing for a moment to gauge Chanyeol’s reaction. Chanyeol knows where the conversation is heading but he gives no reaction, forcing his body to remain relaxed. Being his best friend, Chen has to ask some complicated questions and speak hard truths, but Chanyeol would never hold it against him; it might be uncomfortable sometimes, but he appreciates his friend’s interest, and he often finds himself _needing_ to talk to someone about the things that make him sad. Chen’s voice is more gentle when he asks “How have you been?”

“Fine” Chanyeol answers quietly, not seeing a point in overselling it. He told Chen everything about his long journey and about _him_ , he explained it all as he could best. His friend saw right through him, of course, sensing his hurt feelings and trying to support him. He always asks how Chanyeol has been, and the question is always genuine, hinting at more than it sounds like. It’s been a year, perhaps a month less than that and a lifetime later; and Chanyeol is still hurting the same, but he has found ways to cope. “I’m fine. Nothing has changed, really”

He is still lonely.

Chen sighs in sympathy for his friend; he has seen Chanyeol on bad days, when he breaks down and sobs helplessly until he can’t breathe. He knows what Chanyeol’s life is like, but he also knows he can’t help his friend in any way but hold his hand through it. “Are you sure there is no way of contacting him?” he asks, grasping at straws. The water starts boiling in the kettle, whistling out the steam.

“Not that I know of” Chanyeol mumbles dejectedly. He prays to the stars every night, but he is not sure if he does it for _him_ or for himself. He has read every book he could get his hands on, he even asked his knowledgeable ancient father, but he can’t find a way to transcend realities. He keeps hoping however, even though it hurts, because on some days it’s difficult to accept the life he is living, in which he is cruelly and irrevocably kept apart from the only thing that matters to him.

He offers tea to his friend, placing it on the counter beside him. The shorter shows a little smile, thankful and a tad apologetic. Chanyeol doesn’t grudge him for trying to aid his heartaches, and he starts chopping carrots for the stew, letting the silence slumber lazily between them.

“You know, I was talking with your mom the other day, and she was telling me about your father and their story” Chen pipes up after a while, sipping on his tea with pensively furrowed brows. Chanyeol glances at him momentarily before stirring the frothing stew; he can’t guess if his friend is going to inadvertently hit him with another painful insight, or if he is prompting a romantic narration he heard from his mother, planning on recounting it to Chanyeol yet denying he finds it sweet –like he could ever fool his best friend. A beat of silence and then Chen continues speculatively. “They are something like soul mates, right?”

Chanyeol thinks about it for a second. “You could say so” he agrees in the end. His parents are mates, bound to each other, but ‘soul mates’ is probably the closest term Chen can understand. It doesn’t include the need to claim the other as yours alone and the drive to protect their freedom, the respect and connection both of you feel. It doesn’t describe how the other person is always on your mind, how they can affect your emotions, how much happiness both feel from the promise of an eternity belonging to each other. Chen hums for a moment and Chanyeol turns around to look at him.

“What if that man is your soul mate?” Chen says conversationally, meeting Chanyeol’s eyes innocently; he doesn’t even see the blow he has delivered in Chanyeol’s already damaged and chaotic soul. “Maybe that’s why you can’t move on, maybe you’re not supposed to”

Chanyeol is speechless, gazing at his friend. The pain eats at him every day, until there will be nothing left but bones, but some bites are deeper than others. He didn’t even have to ask himself to know _he_ is his ‘soul mate’, the only one he would ever accept as a mate, even before he found out the truth about _him_. But it is impossible to have _him_ , for the very same reason _he_ is the only one Chanyeol could ever have. He made a wish on an invisible star, for someone to love him and accept him, and that person exists, they’ve met and loved and accepted each other; now Chanyeol has to live every day with a beautiful wound, tender on his heart, and memories that haunt him and console him at the same time. His heart will never move on, and he knows that, because he knows where it will forever lie.

Realizing he has touched too close to the wound, Chen presses his lips indecisively in the echo of his friend’s silence. “Are you sure you can’t bring him back in any way?”

~~~

The night is gentle over the hills, draping its deep blue velvet over the sea. The lights of the harbor shine steadily, like tiny candles adorning the land beside the high sails of the ships. The sea is calm, little glimmers of the celestial objects overhead reflecting on its dancing surface. It is very late into the night and the city is sleeping, except for Chanyeol, who is sitting silently by his window, gazing at the sky and the moon and the sea.

He wishes he could feel the serenity of the moment and the beautiful gift of nature for his eyes alone, but his fire is always stirring like an unhappy child in his chest, stealing any sense of relief he might have felt with a flicker of the flames in the fireplace. The beautiful feeling that calls out from the sea comes close and breaks away before it reaches him, disappearing like a wave that never comes back. His soul is restless.

Placing a hand over his heart to soothe its anxious beats, he closes his eyes for a moment, breathing in. He sometimes gets such unreasonable heart palpitations. He lets the air out in a tired sigh, leaning his head back, against the window frame. If he could sleep, if only sleep came easy. Surely, he would dream of _him_ , in such a quiet night, he would see his smile and kiss him in his dream. But he cannot meet Morpheus tonight, no matter how far he roams, not any more than he can fall into the clutches of sleep from his perch on the window. He can only think of _him_ , ceaselessly, obsessively, madly. They might be apart but Chanyeol believes they are sharing one lifetime; he carries _him_ in his thoughts every breathing moment, so close to him, and yet so far.

The moon shines in the sky when he opens his eyes, almost full, shining brilliantly. Its pale light cascades down on Chanyeol, reflecting silver in his crimson orbs. The Serpent rests looped around the moon, its diamond skin reflecting light to the stars, but it is not sleeping; its black eyes are peering into the night, to lands further away.

There is not a day that Chanyeol doesn’t wish to see _him_ again. He hopes to recognize him as the next customer that walks into his shop, to catch a glimpse of him in the midst of the crowded market. He hopes to find him standing on a grassy hill, sailing to him on one of the ships that come and go, or even see him passing under his window late at night in the silence. He doesn’t need to know why or how; the yearning in his heart has grown unbearable. He feels so tired, so much older.

The world is vast and lonely, and Chanyeol wants to go home, even if he can’t see the place he is returning to.

“Moon Serpent” Chanyeol whispers dejectedly to his oldest friend, his eyes tracing the stars around the giant snake. What if _he_ was one of those stars? No, no; _he_ never became a star because he can be much more than that, and someone knew that long ago, somewhere in a reality no one can ever touch. Chanyeol closes his eyes, with his hand still over his heart and his body slumped against the open window, the breeze caressing his cheeks and toying with his hair. He doesn’t see the Serpent turning its black, smooth eyes on him. “Can you please give my Baekhyun back to me?”

Chanyeol falls asleep without noticing and he dreams very strange. He sails in starry skies and sinks in depthless seas, he walks across fields of clouds and then wafts suspended in silence.

~~~

When he opens his eyes, he sees unfamiliar skies full of stars above him, forming overlapping constellations against the endless midnight blue canvas. There is soft sand under his hands, rubbing like silk against his fingertips. The sound of the sea tenderly lapping at the shore fills his ears, and he can see a greening tuft of forest trees on the edge of his vision. This place feels oddly familiar, but also foreign; Chanyeol frowns. The last thing he remembers is that he was leaning against his window, stargazing, and then the Serpent flicked its tail and he-

_Could it be?_

Chanyeol’s eyes widen and his breath catches in his throat in surprise; could it be? Or, maybe, this is a dream? He has had dreams like this before, a million times in the past slow year, but they’ve never felt so real. Could his mind be drawing all those shapes in the sky with stars, could it replicate the sighing whisper of the small waves, could it fool his senses so successfully? But, but if this is not a dream, then…

While Chanyeol is still lying on his back, stupefied, a small glow appears. It comes into his line of vision gracefully, carrying its luminous little halo as it wafts in the air above his body without a sound. Its light doesn’t slice the darkness of the night, it only compliments it. The sphere of light pauses and hovers over him, as if scanning him up and down, and then it stills, floating patiently in a fixed spot over his body –and he swears it feels like it’s looking at him expectantly. Chanyeol stares at it in disbelief. The little lantern doesn’t flinch, waiting. No, there is no way he is dreaming.

With an incredulous gasp, Chanyeol sits up; the little light cartwheels away playfully. His eyes open impossibly wide when he realizes where he is; he knows this shore, he knows those woods, he knows that sky. He is on the island.

His gaze runs swiftly over the lines of the scenery, and finds it unchanged. The silver treetops shimmer in the light of the moon, the rocks slope seamlessly towards the dark water of the sea, the sand is white and spotless like powder. The Serpent has curled its body lazily around the moon, but it is awake, its black eyes blinking slowly. Chanyeol doesn’t know how he has returned to this place, but he is infinitely grateful to the Serpent for hearing his prayer.

The more familiar and real this place proves to his eyes, the more his heart beats in anticipation. If he is here, if he is finally here, there is only one thing to do and heavens, it might be the last thing he’ll ever do, but so be it. The sea is behind him as he stands to his full height with some effort and sheer determination, more floating lanterns appearing around him. The little souls swirl near him mischievously, excited to see him again, welcoming him with their trembling lights scattered in the air. He stumbles on his first steps, his body feeling a little numb and disoriented by the spheres of light swinging in varying proximity and direction, but once he regains his footing, he crosses the beach and marches into the forest without hesitation, his senses unhindered by the luminous orbs. The floating lights swoosh to follow him enthusiastically.

He doesn’t have the faintest idea where he is going; he couldn’t navigate these woods before and he is certain he would only ever get lost in them, no matter if he tried or not. He lets his feet carry him confidently past elegant trees with silver and green foliage, soft shrubs of blue and vines of red. The forest is quiet and his steps echo in his ears, in rhythm to his short breaths and racing heart. His entire body is thrumming with expectation, the ache in his chest expanding impatiently and pushing against his bones almost painfully. The promise of happiness can feel quite despairing, as he finds out.

There is a feeling inside him that guides him to _him_ , like a magnetic pull, a new sense of gravity. The bonds which had been severed on that cruel day they parted were never really wounds that could be healed, and now they are struggling to find their missing halves and tie themselves again.

The first hint is the scent of roses, without a flower in sight, on this land where blooms don’t grow; he keeps roses in his garden but they never smelled so sweet. _He_ is close. His steps slow down in a daze, the lights flying past him. Into the meadow beyond the shadow of the remaining trees, there is a man sitting on the ground with his back turned to Chanyeol, clad in white clothes, with black hair and graceful wings on his back. Chanyeol’s heart leaps to his throat when he hears his gentle voice; it’s as if not a day has passed since he first saw him, since they said goodbye, and yet it has been entirely too long.

 _He_ is in the middle of a narration about the perplexing, unexplored world of somewhere, speaking animatedly to a cluster of innocent little lights that float in front of him, listening obediently in fascination. His voice is colored with excitement, the hue which is accompanied by wide eyes and pouty lips that move too fast in Chanyeol’s memory. When the lights that had been following Chanyeol burst into the meadow ahead of him, their excited entrance doesn’t go unnoticed by the man, who trails off to a stop and looks up at them questioningly, bewildered by their sudden eagerness.

Chanyeol steps out of the forest and the man visibly tenses. _He_ is aware; Chanyeol is sure that the tugging in his chest is being reciprocated by the shorter man, the bonds between them only a breath apart and reaching for each other frantically. It’s almost perfect déjà vu when the man unhurriedly stands from the ground, his graceful body unraveling, and he turns around slowly.

_Baekhyun._

They sink in silence when their eyes meet, gazes locking right away, and the little lights scatter to avoid the tense immobility of the two men. Time slows down, the forest stands still, the moonlight bathing them both in colors that he feels he has never seen before and yet they seem so familiar. It’s _him_ , the man of his dreams and memories. Chanyeol’s eyes are wide, his heart thrumming like a hummingbird in his chest in this surreal moment; he can do nothing but stare. He can’t believe how much his stars have graced him, and he can’t get enough of him, the real him, standing before his eyes.

He hasn’t changed at all, long fringe falling over his forehead in silken black strands, face small and sharp but soft, puppy eyes of silver and blue round in shock. His lips are parted in a quiet gasp, the colors of his eyes swirling with intense emotions, his heartbeat sounding irregular to Chanyeol’s ears.

“Chanyeol” he breathes the name in disbelief, part of a question, part shock and part incredulity, but also reverently, like part of a prayer, and sweetly, like the call of a lover. Chanyeol’s heart summersaults in his chest, his entire body turning weak, as if the sound of his name has undone all the ties that had been keeping his solid consistency. His eyes soften, beckoning the smaller to approach him; they need to be closer to each other, but Chanyeol cannot move, he can’t take a step for fear he will collapse. Baekhyun blinks rapidly a few times, as if trying to clear his vision.

“How did you- what are y-” he stutters at a loss, his eyebrows frowning in desperate bewilderment, then his eyes widen again. “Are you okay?” he asks urgently, his sudden burst of concern bordering hysterics. He looks like he is two seconds away from a heart attack, panic tinting his words as he starts walking closer swiftly, terrified that something fatal has happened to Chanyeol for the taller to be here. “I thought you were fine, healthy and safe, living a good life in your world! I’ve been checking up on you from here, I’ve been asking the Serpent a million questions every night, and it told me you have a nice house, and a bakery, and you have flowers, and your old friend visits; I thought- I thought you were okay” his anxious rant trails off to a weak mumble when he realizes how close he has come to Chanyeol, just one step away, a step which Chanyeol cannot make. Their bonds tickle excitedly.

Baekhyun hesitates to cross the distance, knowing he will be past the point of no return, his feet planting on the ground responsibly, keeping the distance and both of them safe from their hurtful emotions, but his breath is coming out slightly panting and his heart is racing in his chest. He looks up at a steadfast Chanyeol, his sorrowful puppy eyes twinkling with hope, his pillowy lips trembling with words he cannot utter and the fear of another heartbreak. Chanyeol reads in his silver and blue eyes the hopeless, broken pain he feels, his wings sagging on his back in defeat. But he can also feel that Baekhyun wants him so much, so ardently, every tiny cell in his body yearning for Chanyeol; there is a pull between them which Chanyeol can feel to his core as their bonds tentatively touch.

Baekhyun lifts a shaky hand uncertainly, and softly touches Chanyeol’s cheekbone in wonder, his eyes roaming over every detail on the taller’s face. “Are you real?” he whispers, almost fearing the answer, his eyes troubled and glassy. Chanyeol’s chest aches to think that Baekhyun has been plagued by conjured, vague visions of himself during their time apart; the isolation has been consuming Baekhyun, feeling heavier than led shackles.

But this touch is real, so real, as Baekhyun’s cold fingertips trace over Chanyeol’s skin tenderly, as if exploring it for the first time. They leave an invisible imprint on their way, purging the dried tracks of the tears Chanyeol has shed for him during their time apart. Chanyeol’s heart beats painfully fast in relief, shimmering in joy, his fire sparking in glee, and he leans into the touch with a soft smile, curling his fingers around Baekhyun’s smaller wrist to keep his hand in place affectionately; Baekhyun is almost tearing up, disbelief still clouding his eyes.

“Please, say something” he begs, his voice cracked.

And there is one thing Chanyeol wants to say, because he doesn’t know how much time they are given and it cannot wait any longer. These stolen moments they have been gifted with are balancing on uneven ticks of the clock and they might crumble and perish to the end of time in a breath. Chanyeol looks at Baekhyun in the eyes, trying to convince his heart to stay in this moment for the longest it can, and Baekhyun holds his breath expectantly, keeping the moment still in time.

“I love you” Chanyeol’s voice is gentle and sincere, his fire dancing in his chest and spreading warmth all over. Baekhyun blinks at him a little confused, the words coming unexpected to his ears, but Chanyeol’s lips only smile a little wider and he leans down to kiss Baekhyun, to leave the words on his pouty lips so that he might understand.

It’s a soft touch of his lips against Baekhyun’s stunned ones, lingering and sweet; Baekhyun’s smooth lips, his warm breath and the scent of roses dominate the senses, and Chanyeol’s hand cradles the side of Baekhyun’s jaw delicately, anchoring himself in the moment by holding onto the most precious thing that exists for him; if the world stopped spinning now, Chanyeol would be a happy man. It takes a moment for Baekhyun to realize that the chaste kiss they are sharing is not a figment of his imagination but something very real, and Chanyeol can tell his reservations melt, from the way his wings spread in joy and circle around them, his hands drawing Chanyeol closer, one on the side of his face and one holding onto the taller’s waist. He takes the shortest breath through his nose, like he needed it because he hadn’t breathed in for the longest time, and then his lips press back fervently, in silent reciprocation of Chanyeol’s feelings.

Chanyeol feels like he is floating on clouds, their bonds tying them together from deep inside. He follows the shimmery strings all the way to Baekhyun’s soul, tasting his happiness beyond words. He pulls back a little afterwards and glances down at Baekhyun, his puppy eyes blinking open and shining with unshed tears as he gazes up at Chanyeol.

Finally, Chanyeol knows what this look means; adoration.

“I missed you” Chanyeol confesses quietly, and when he leans down for a second kiss, unable to stay away from Baekhyun’s inviting lips, the shorter is expecting it; he lifts himself on his tiptoes to meet him halfway. There is no longer space between them, their bodies crushing flush against each other, Baekhyun relocating his hand from Chanyeol’s waist to his neck and clutching at his shoulders with concealed urgency, while Chanyeol curls his free arm around Baekhyun’s waist to support his balance and keep him as close as possible. Baekhyun’s thinner lips slot against Chanyeol’s seamlessly, soft flesh brushing over the other’s mouth again and again desperately, drinking in each other’s scent, their warmth, their breath, and still unable to quench the thirst they feel. This kiss is more passionate but still soft and slow, telltaling the desire and the affection. The fire spreads in Chanyeol’s veins, erasing the rest of the world.

But then, Chanyeol feels dampness on his lips, each stroke of Baekhyun’s mouth leaving a wet caress behind. The smaller is trembling whole in his arms, his breath is irregular, but he still holds onto Chanyeol with all his might, and for the first time Chanyeol worries that something is not right. He tries to check concernedly, but he stays for a moment longer, when Baekhyun’s lips chase after his as if his life depends on it and latch onto his lower lip. His fingers massage Baekhyun’s waist comfortingly to coax him to calm down, and the shorter’s frenzied attempts to capture Chanyeol’s lips gradually subside to gentle pecks and nose bumps, which allow Chanyeol to put some distance between them, just enough to look down.

Baekhyun’s eyes are not open but not closed either, his lashes hinged but his irises visible under their shade, shifting constantly. There is a stream of translucent tears rolling down his red-rimmed eyes, drenching his pink face, its lines shaped in a distressed expression, his lips reddened from the kisses and sleek with tears. It tugs painfully at Chanyeol’s heart that Baekhyun has been crying, hiding hopelessly behind their kiss, and he wipes away some of the tears on Baekhyun’s cheek, the arm around the smaller’s waist pulling him closer instinctively.

“Don’t cry, my love” he hushes, his deep voice low and pleading as he pecks Baekhyun’s forehead and temples; Baekhyun is too sad, too tired, too far gone to control his emotions, which paint red and black in Chanyeol’s chest in bruising melancholy. If only he could cry those tears, so that Baekhyun wouldn’t have to be sad. Baekhyun sobs, violent tremors wrecking his body and his knees give out; Chanyeol holds him, but Baekhyun’s wings snap back in a reflex attempt to keep his balance and it only makes things worse. Chanyeol looses balance and they collapse to the ground, the taller trying to absorb the impact so that Baekhyun won’t get hurt. They end up sitting on the ground, and Baekhyun falls forward in Chanyeol’s arms, tangling himself in Chanyeol’s lap, their embrace surviving the fall.

“What did you do?” Baekhyun hiccups, his elbows digging into Chanyeol’s sternum as the smaller wipes his eyes futilely, his wings fidgeting on his back. Chanyeol holds his waist and looks at him, puzzled and concerned; did he do wrong to kiss Baekhyun? But Baekhyun kissed him back. They could never stand being so close to each other without yearning for closer; their love had grown too much to die, even when they had to abandon it. Baekhyun manages to blink some of his tears away and clear his vision, then he rests both hands on Chanyeol’s shoulders. “I don’t want you to get hurt” he mumbles with effort through his jagged breaths, looking into Chanyeol’s eyes with his red, puffy ones. Chanyeol’s alarmed expression softens to one of endearment and he shakes his head, stroking up and down Baekhyun’s spine comfortingly, rubbing a bit longer between his wings.

“The Serpent brought me to you, I wasn’t hurt” he explains all he knows, hoping it is enough to assure Baekhyun that he is not harmed, that he is not here because something horrible happened. The smaller stops crying for a moment and gives him a long look with skeptically creased eyebrows, examining the truth in his eyes and weighing his words; Chanyeol keeps his gentle smile until Baekhyun seems convinced, his shoulders relaxing, and his frown fading. But one moment later, he hiccups and starts sobbing again, this time louder than before, making Chanyeol panic for a split second.

“I’ve missed you” Baekhyun cries inconsolably, his tears slipping past his eyelashes relentlessly; Chanyeol understands perfectly how Baekhyun feels, their bonds transferring the emotion into his own chest, piercing through it. “I feel terrible when we are apart. I’m so lonely, and I get so scared that you won’t think of me anymore someday, and I will be forgotten here. I only trust and believe in you, I only think of you, I _live_ through you; and to be apart, I can’t stand this wretched feeling anymore” he breaks down under the weight of accumulated pressure, and he lurches forward to bury his face in the crook of Chanyeol’s neck, his entire body shuddering with the force of his cries.

Baekhyun keeps mumbling deliriously against Chanyeol’s skin, about his pain and loneliness and torn love, and Chanyeol thinks that this world is too cruel for Baekhyun, empty and silent, offering no consolation, expecting him to be an emotionless shell of himself; if he could take Baekhyun away with him, if only, at least Baekhyun wouldn’t have to suffer in a maddening, eternal prison.

But there is not much a mere immortal can do to alter the realms and laws of reality, so he holds Baekhyun tightly while he can and caresses his back slowly, trying to reassure him silently with sweet touches and kisses on his hair. Baekhyun is the most unique person he has, the only one in his thoughts and in his heart, even when they are worlds apart, and he would do anything for his happiness, but no one has ever brought down the heavens. He doesn’t speak a word while Baekhyun cries in his arms, even though it makes his heart bleed, knowing firsthand that loneliness is not a beast that can be fought by knights in shining armor; so he waits for Baekhyun to exhaust himself, because that’s the only vulnerable window, when another soul can call out to the lonely one and bring it to the light.

~~~

Chanyeol wakes up to the feeling of soft grass blades tickling his skin. A slight breeze is cascading down on him, patting his cheeks, and the air smells fresh, like morning dew and blooming flowers. He doesn’t remember falling asleep. He opens his eyes to see open sky, blue on one side, light purple right above him, pale white in the east, no stars except for one twinkling in the satin sky.

Why is he outside? Why is it sunrise? Why is he so heavy?

One glance down his front answers his question, when he sees another body splayed over him. _No wings?_ The shorter legs are slightly tangled with Chanyeol’s, the slender arms are open wide on either side to trap him in place against the ground, but it’s the torso that feels the heaviest. There is a steady rise and fall of the body’s back, a heartbeat beating steadily, a warm stomach pressed against his abdomen and soft flesh under Chanyeol’s hands, which are wound around the other’s waist. Tufts of black hair are tickling Chanyeol’s chin and a nose is uncomfortably pressed against his shoulder, warm breaths filtered through his clothes and skin.

Chanyeol knows the heartbeat, he knows the scent of roses, but he doesn’t know why the sun is about to rise in the sky; wasn’t it exclusive to his world? And didn’t they fall asleep in Nowhere, after a night of endless cries and vain, heartbreaking consolation? Bewildered, he moves just his head to look around at the open space, which seems very familiar. The grass hills, the sea cliffs…Chanyeol’s eyes widen.

“Baek? Baekhyun love, wake up” he calls quietly, trying to nudge Baekhyun on top of him, even though his hands with a mind of their own prefer to caress the shorter’s sides instead of stirring him awake.

He tries to avoid sudden moves which would jolt the latter awake, but there is an undeniable rush of excitement in his body; he needs to share this with Baekhyun, he has to see this. While his hands are roaming higher on Baekhyun’s back, the breeze sneaks under Baekhyun’s loose white clothes, ruffling his shirt on his back and nipping at his skin; that seems to rouse the smaller from his dreams. Baekhyun sighs and lifts his head slowly, his cheek red from being squished against Chanyeol for who knows how long, his puffy eyes cracking open to be greeted by Chanyeol’s stunned face –but the detail of his expression slips from Baekhyun’s sleepy mind, which only recognizes Chanyeol.

“Chanyeol, you stayed?” he mumbles in an endearing little growl, his voice hoarse from sleep. He sounds hopeful, perhaps a little pleased, if they way the one side of his mouth twitches into a smile momentarily is any indication. There is a certain disoriented, confused and disbelieving quality underlying his question though.

Chanyeol stares at him with wide eyes and whispers, afraid to say it aloud. “I think…we’re back”

It takes a moment of silence for his words to sink in. Baekhyun mumbles something to himself and his lips form a pink pout, his eyebrows drawing closer over his eyes in bewilderment. He cranes his neck to see past Chanyeol, first ahead of him, then right and left; his frown only deepens with more questions. Then there is a sudden spark of sobriety in his expression and he starts scrambling to lift himself off of Chanyeol, his gaze never stopping its inquiring examination of the surroundings. He elbows Chanyeol in the ribs and rams his knee against the taller’s thigh, but he doesn’t even notice the muffled moans of pain in his haste; he ends up toppling over to a seat beside Chanyeol, his eyes wide in disbelief, as he turns his head in every direction.

“I’m in your world” he whispers incredulously. Chanyeol thought so too, but he takes a moment to really make sure; his eyes turn to a specific direction and find the silhouette of his city amongst the grassy hills to confirm it. “I’m in your world!” Baekhyun exclaims it this time, grabbing Chanyeol’s limp body on the ground and shaking him by the shoulders, as if that will be enough to knock the realization sooner into his head. Chanyeol’s lips bloom into a smile when he notices just how thrilled Baekhyun looks, his round eyes glinting, his lips gaping happily, his cheeks puffed out in a smile; he looks like he is glowing from sheer joy.

When Baekhyun looks at him and notices Chanyeol’s smile, his expression softens and his lips smile tenderly, in a way that shows his eyesmiles. Then, before Chanyeol has time to process anything else –like how beautifully the muted light before the dawn is slipping into Baekhyun’s irises of grey and blue–, Baekhyun launches himself on Chanyeol again, falling on top of him and taking his breath away quite literally, to squeeze him in a joyful hug. Chanyeol is almost crushed and smothered, but he doesn’t care, chuckling at Baekhyun’s innocent excitement and wrapping his arms around the smaller body to squeeze him back.

His eyes fall on the Serpent, close to dozing off around the moon which is softly disappearing in the sky, and something stirs inside him, stealing bits of his smile away.

“I think it’s just for one day” he murmurs quietly. He doesn’t know how they returned here, why they are given just one day or how he knows of that, but it is like an intuition, a looming feeling that wraps around his blissful heart, waiting to strangle it when the moment comes. One day with Baekhyun is too short, but Chanyeol is grateful they are given as much time at all, because an eternity without him would be worse. Baekhyun senses his discomfort and lifts his head from where it was tucked under Chanyeol’s chin to look at the taller man underneath him.

“I know” he says softly, his fingers pushing Chanyeol’s hair away from his eyes and then scratching behind the taller’s ear. His expression is calm and distantly sad, like it has always been; he seems to know, in the same unidentifiable way, that their given time is just one day, but he is not letting it dampen his spirits. He gives Chanyeol a good look, gazing deep into his eyes. “But the day is ours. _Ours_. Don’t think of anything else” he says, his fingers playing with Chanyeol’s ears soothingly as he strains his neck a little, to kiss Chanyeol’s chin chastely. Chanyeol is easily convinced; he would definitely enjoy a day with Baekhyun like this –even though his heart feels like it might burst any second.

“What do you want to do?” he prompts with a tiny, mischievous smile, knowing that Baekhyun will want to do everything, as many things as they can cram from daybreak to sunset. True to his prediction, Baekhyun’s eyes widen and he gasps loudly.

“‘What’, you ask?” he enunciates theatrically, an overly excited look glazing over his eyes as he flails on top of the taller; Chanyeol is already cracking into giggling fits. “I want to see your house, and your shop, and take me to a market, with food, and then let’s-” he keeps planning interminably, his lips moving fast, his eyes sparkling with anticipation and wonder. Chanyeol doesn’t hear half of it, because he is laughing to tears, his deep voice echoing in the valleys around them; he hasn’t laughed so much in a while, and perhaps he looks very unattractive with all his teeth on display and his nose scrunched with one eye twitching, but he really needs to let it out. When he calms down, Baekhyun is no longer talking, who knows when he stopped, but he doesn’t look mad that Chanyeol didn’t listen to everything he said; instead, he is giving Chanyeol a fond look, as if he is the prettiest thing he has ever seen, when he says “Let’s do anything together”

They do everything Baekhyun listed and more. On their way to the city, they walk with their hands clasped tightly together, crossing the short distance on the hills barefoot, bathed in the colors of the dawn. Chanyeol gives his coat to Baekhyun, because his white clothes are not made for the morning chill, and they walk in the freshly awoken cobblestone streets to make a first stop at the bakery, so that Baekhyun can change into less irregular clothes before they start their adventures in the city.

The nice old lady, one of his most regular customers, has just arrived outside the bakery, surprised to find it closed without even a sign on the door; but she is in luck, for she finds her favorite baker right outside too, who explains that he will be taking the day off, apologizing for the short notice. She doesn’t mind one bit, however, wishing him to enjoy his day off with his ‘friend’ –she is a little too excited about his ‘friend’, giving Baekhyun a suspiciously intrigued smile. Baekhyun smiles at her politely but has the common sense to take refuge with Chanyeol in the shop quickly, before she starts asking intimate questions that old ladies feel entitled to know about everyone.

Baekhyun has never been in a bakery before, so he keeps his hands close to himself while Chanyeol shows him around, for fear of breaking anything. He does knock over an empty bowl accidentally, which makes an awful lot of noise due to the metallic material it is made of, and Baekhyun panics and apologizes profusely, even though there is absolutely no damage done. He seems fascinated by the simplest of things, making Chanyeol realize how the things he considers mundane might be a little less credited than they deserve. When they go upstairs, Chanyeol lets Baekhyun explore the house by himself, while he makes some tea and toast in the kitchen. Baekhyun disappears for a while, the occasional shuffle and creak of doors reaching Chanyeol’s ears, but he doesn’t worry; Baekhyun knows his way around a house and Chanyeol has nothing to hide or keep from Baekhyun, no matter how deep into the drawers he searches, driven by his curiosity and the desire to know everything surrounding Chanyeol’s life.

Chanyeol lends him a change of simple clothes and Baekhyun changes in the bedroom, leaving the door wide open; Chanyeol feels severely flustered when the smaller starts bunching his shirt to take it off, and he silently makes a hasty retreat to the kitchen. He had forgotten how unreserved Baekhyun is when it comes to showing any and all parts of his body to Chanyeol. The incident is easily forgotten while they are having breakfast together by the fireplace; Baekhyun munches on his toast hungrily, praising the fire and asking endless questions about it, and Chanyeol coos over how cute Baekhyun looks, wiggling his toes near the fire and stuffing his cheeks with food, Chanyeol’s clothes being two sizes too big on him. They fix them up before leaving, of course, Baekhyun waiting patiently while Chanyeol rolls up the sleeves and then folds the pants carefully into the boots.

They visit the park and the largest city square, Baekhyun’s eyes wide in awe as he looks around –it has nothing to do with how impressive the places Chanyeol takes him to are, even though they’re beautiful and cheerful under the sun; it’s the fact that Chanyeol is choosing to share them with Baekhyun that makes the shorter so excited. He makes sure to hold onto Chanyeol’s arm securely, fingers interlocked and the rest of him almost plastered against Chanyeol’s side. When they go to the market, they come across many familiar people who greet Chanyeol and his ‘friend’, some even addressing Baekhyun with polite questions. By noon, the entire city must have heard of the young man who has appeared with the handsome bachelor baker, and people stop asking questions when they cross paths with them, giving them benevolently knowing smiles instead. Chanyeol is a little embarrassed, because all these people know him personally, even though his private life had been a well-kept secret until today, but he is also proud, because Baekhyun is the only person he ever wishes to be seen with as a couple. He doesn’t deny anything.

They make a short stop for lunch when Baekhyun’s boots start hurting too much for him to walk without small winces and a limp, which only Chanyeol can probably notice. A cheerful waiter serves them, not-so-subtly signaling incomprehensibly at Chanyeol, presumably to congratulate him, when he thinks Baekhyun is not looking. Baekhyun is a vampire too though, and he can sense the man making wild gestures with an unusually big smile behind his back, but he doesn’t seem to understand the social connotations, and thankfully he doesn’t mention it, enjoying the food instead. Chanyeol personally feeds him everything good on his plate, the uproarious gossip forgotten when he gets to see Baekhyun eating cutely and enjoying the food.

It’s still springtime, but the weather has graced them with abundant sunshine today and warm temperatures, so Chanyeol decides to buy Baekhyun ice cream for dessert. His favorite ice cream shop has gathered quite a crowd in the late evening, but they are served without much delay; the owner is familiar with Chanyeol, ever since they worked together on some pastry projects in the past, and he has a soft spot for the tall baker. Baekhyun has never tasted ice cream before and he is lost on what flavor he might like, so Chanyeol decides the flavors and orders a small three-scoop extravaganza for each of them, so that Baekhyun will properly enjoy it. The smaller takes a tentative lick when the fancy ice cream is handed to him, and his eyes widen in amazement, his lips mumbling fast about how delicious he finds it. The shop owner chuckles endearingly alongside Chanyeol, and Baekhyun feels a little shy then, hiding half his face behind his ice cream, pretending to be busy eating more of it. He eats half of Chanyeol’s ice cream, too; what started out as tasting the different flavors turns into an overly-full stomach, but that doesn’t upset Baekhyun’s sated smile.

They walk around for a while to ease their full stomachs and savor the sunshine. Little children playing outside after finishing their homework crowd them out of the blue near the park, recognizing Chanyeol and asking for candy –he always keeps a few pieces on him for moments like this. But, since Baekhyun is wearing his cloak, he has the candy, and Chanyeol signals him about it. Baekhyun looks hesitant at first, but eventually he takes out the candy to hand it himself to the children, who are exultant. He warms up to the enthusiastic little crowd, smiling at them brightly as they thank him for his gifts. The pretty man with strange eyes is the children’s favorite person of the day, and Baekhyun tells Chanyeol that he finds the little humans cute when they are safely away from them.

Around sunset, they decide to return to Chanyeol’s house and spend some quiet time together. Chanyeol prepares a light dinner for them and then serves Baekhyun an angel cake with pride. Baekhyun’s spoon hesitates for a short moment, hovering over the wings, his smile a little frozen, his eyes flickering with thoughts. Chanyeol belatedly realizes that the cake might serve as a stark reminder of their steadily diminishing remaining time together, but that didn’t even cross his mind when he served it; he just wanted to share it with Baekhyun, another chip of his reality, which is dedicated to the smaller man. The tense moment disappears when Baekhyun tastes the strawberry mousse, humming happily and declaring it even better than the ice cream. Chanyeol gets a few spoonfuls for himself but Baekhyun eats most of it in delight, strawberries being his favorite fruit.

Later, they have settled quietly by the fireplace, curled on the couch with a blanket over their legs, watching the fire and the star-studded sky. They read through all the letters from Chanyeol’s mother and father, even a couple from Chen, and they have fallen into a quiet reverie ever since. Baekhyun is curled on Chanyeol’s side, his ear and cheek resting on Chanyeol’s chest, his body snuggly fitted under Chanyeol’s arm. It is a wonderful moment, to be feeling Baekhyun’s heartbeat so close, his warmth reaching under Chanyeol’s skin through their clothes, his rose scent filling Chanyeol’s mind. They are both peaceful and Chanyeol feels a serenity he hadn’t felt in so long. Every so often, his hold tightens on Baekhyun, thoughts of parting with him sooner than he’d wish invading his mind, before he quickly hushes them. Baekhyun’s hand is rubbing circles on Chanyeol’s stomach, his eyes blinking slowly and his lips smiling faintly, grinning and humming contently whenever Chanyeol combs his fingers through his hair or scratches lightly down his back, the smaller body arching into his touch like a happy cat.

“Baek, can I ask you something?” he asks quietly, disrupting the comfortable silence when night begins to fall. It has been on his mind for some time now, ever since Chen visited, and if tonight is all they’re given, he has to be honest. Baekhyun might have suspected Chanyeol had been deep in thought for a while now, his heart rate beating in varying speed according to his thoughts right under the smaller’s ear, so he doesn’t seem surprised, remaining relaxed and not missing a beat to answer.

“Anything” he promises easily, pressing his nose against Chanyeol’s chest in an affectionate gesture. The taller likes those small touches that signal Baekhyun’s love for him, but he needs Baekhyun to be looking at him in such a moment; this is important. He kisses Baekhyun’s hair to urge him to sit back a little, so that they can look into each other’s eyes, and the smaller complies easily, scooting back a bit but keeping Chanyeol’s arm over his shoulders and the blanket over his legs. He has a serene smile on his face, which fades when he notices Chanyeol’s swirling irises, a slightly concerned frown settling over his brows. Chanyeol’s heart is beating frantically now, a little nervous and a little excited, but he swallows his nerves and opens his lips, praying his voice won’t break.

“Would you do me the honor of letting me…bind you?” he asks as gently as he’d ever hope for, gazing deep into Baekhyun’s eyes, sincere and vulnerable.

Chanyeol has thought about it for many nights, back when Baekhyun was a faraway dream he never hoped to see again, which might have been just days ago and yet it feels like centuries have passed. Baekhyun _is_ his mate, and there is no doubt about it; it only makes sense for Chanyeol to be Baekhyun’s mate as well. Even though they have had the term applied to them by third parties in the past, they never admitted it –perhaps because they didn’t need it standing between them. But they have always felt it, they have always known that they were irreplaceable to each other, attracted to each other, connected, in love. Chanyeol has just one night with Baekhyun, and he will be delighted to spend it just like this, holding him close by the fire and enjoying his presence till they run out of time, but _if_ Baekhyun lets him, if he wants to, Chanyeol would want to have this deep and meaningful bond with him for the rest of their lives.

Baekhyun is silent for a moment, slowly ruminating over the words, while staring into Chanyeol’s eyes, all the way to his soul. His silver and blue eyes examine him closely, shadowed by a frown which he fights not to show on his brows. Chanyeol’s heart is beating painfully fast but he keeps his composure patiently. Baekhyun doesn’t look surprised, but he looks like he is going to reject him.

“Chanyeol…” he starts softly, laying a delicate hand over Chanyeol’s in his lap, his eyes giving the taller a tormented look. Chanyeol’s heart chips a little. He knows the answer –and Baekhyun knows that. Chanyeol lowers his eyes, trying to convince himself that it doesn’t hurt as much, that at least he still has a night with Baekhyun in his arms, and ultimately that is the greatest gift. “If you want me, we can do whatever you want; I want you, too. But you don’t have to bind me. That would be painful for you; you’d be miserable when I’m gone” Baekhyun tries to make amends, his voice tinted with sorrow at the end as he gives Chanyeol a pleading look, chasing his gaze. Chanyeol shakes his head; he doesn’t simply lust for Baekhyun, this is not something he thinks he ought to do in exchange for a night of passionate moments, he _wants_ to bind Baekhyun, to bite his neck, to mate him. He wants to be Baekhyun’s.

“I know that, but I want to have this connection with you” he refutes, mumbling softly in melancholy, and Baekhyun sighs as if he is struggling, but his eyes are soft and downturned in sadness as he looks at Chanyeol pleadingly. Chanyeol’s breath is surprisingly shaky when he breathes, his chest palpitating strangely, his fire dancing to an unknown beat. “You can sense how I am, but I have no way of sensing you when you are not around” his voice cracks a little, his eyes stinging with the beginnings of tears, and Chanyeol can’t control it, maybe because Baekhyun feels sad too, he can’t hold them back, but he tries. “I drive myself mad worrying about you; I’d rather be miserable. Please, let me” he finishes, gathering Baekhyun in his arms for a comforting embrace they both need.

Chanyeol knows he will be miserable; his parents are a bright example of mates being torn apart, and he has experienced in his skin the results of it, ever since he was a child. He knows he will feel lost and disoriented, he will be agonizing over the loss of his other half, he will be depressed and will feel tremendous pain every morning, wishing he could tear his flesh and fly by Baekhyun’s side. But is it any different now? He is and will be miserable either way; a bond would only bring him consolation, a small fragment of reassurance for a lifetime he won’t be able to touch and see and hear Baekhyun.

He played his cards, and Baekhyun refused. Chanyeol understands.

“I…” Baekhyun starts hesitantly after a while, but he doesn’t continue, instead squeezing Chanyeol tighter in his arms, as if trying to melt against him. Chanyeol accommodates him, his hopes a little splintered by now but that’s okay, because above all else, Baekhyun matters. What his unbound mate wants and needs are always at the forefront of Chanyeol’s mind, and he is willing to jump mountains and cross seas to ensure them. Baekhyun remains silent for a long while, his arms tense and desperate around Chanyeol, his breaths deep against Chanyeol’s collarbones. Chanyeol senses his discomfort and tries to ease it a little, rubbing circles on Baekhyun’s back and humming comfortingly in his deep voice near Baekhyun’s ears.

“I have one condition” Baekhyun says then, and Chanyeol flinches a little in surprise, his mind making quick connections and rekindling his hope. He pulls back a little and Baekhyun allows him space so that they can look at each other properly. Is he really saying what Chanyeol thinks…? It is confusing, hope is confusing because he doesn’t know what to expect; Baekhyun doesn’t sound troubled at all, his countenance the embodiment of serenity, his beautiful eyes sparkling in the light of the fire, which is burning brightly now because of Chanyeol. “You will let me bind you, too. If you suffer, I suffer; we’re doing this together” Baekhyun suggests calmly, but his fidgeting hands give him away. He is a little nervous, deep down, Chanyeol can feel it, afraid that Chanyeol will…reject him?

He’d never. Baekhyun just now agreed to… _Heavens, yes!_

“If that is what you really want…I’d be glad to be bound to you” he answers meekly, a shy blush he hadn’t expected coloring his own cheeks when giving permission. This is an exclusive decision, and he doesn’t want Baekhyun to feel obliged or pressured to bind him; he belatedly realizes that Baekhyun doesn’t even necessarily _want_ Chanyeol or desire him in any physical way, just because they have such a deep emotional connection. But no, he said it himself earlier, that he wants Chanyeol, too. He meant it in _that_ way, right? Chanyeol’s fingers start twitching nervously, his mind trying to prove the many different ways he could have interpreted Baekhyun’s words, besides the one he biasedly did.

Baekhyun feels his anxiousness and places his hand over Chanyeol’s, tangling their fingers and putting an end to Chanyeol’s fidgeting. When Chanyeol looks up at him, Baekhyun has a soft but confident look in his eyes, staring into Chanyeol’s crimson ones and squeezing his hand lightly.

“Don’t doubt that I want to do this too, Chanyeol. I _want_ you, very much” he says, voice turning a little husky and leaving little room for misunderstandings and interpretations. It brings a small relief to Chanyeol, sensing Baekhyun’s sincerity, so sure of his decision –it was pointless to doubt in the first place; it feels so right to be with each other, close to each other. His lips crack a tiny smile, his heart skipping a beat, because yes, Baekhyun has agreed to be his mate, but most of all, Baekhyun believes in him, wants him, loves him. The smaller smiles too, his eyesmiles twinkling in the light of the fire, and he shyly leans in, kissing Chanyeol softly on the lips. It’s the first kiss he has initiated and it might be just an innocent contact, but it bears infinite sweetness.

When Baekhyun breaks the kiss, he doesn’t go very far, his nose almost bumping against Chanyeol’s as they look into each other’s eyes, the fire flaring its embers in the hearth. Chanyeol gazes at Baekhyun meekly, the tips of his ears burning bright red now that the implications of ‘mating’ have started to sink in on a realistic level. He is attracted to Baekhyun, that is certain, but there are a few grey areas which make him nervous. Baekhyun is giving him a joyful, toothy smile, however, eyes scrunched up into little moons, and Chanyeol thinks that maybe…maybe they can work this out, together.

“Let’s go inside” Baekhyun suggests in a whisper, but it sounds also like a question, and Chanyeol nods in agreement. The fireplace is nice and they have settled comfortably here, but if they actually bite each other, it would be wiser not to risk a bloody mess in the living room. They walk hand in hand down the short distance of the hallway, Chanyeol feeling ridiculously shy while Baekhyun is silent, the pants too long shuffling by his feet. “Cold” Baekhyun mutters with a small gasp when they open the door to enter the dark bedroom, so far away from the fireplace that the heat doesn’t reach.

Chanyeol lets Baekhyun’s hand fall from his grasp, leaving his side and walking to the other side of the room, drawing the curtains close while lighting a small fire in the bedroom’s fireplace, fitted snuggly in one corner –he lights it only at nights, when he wants to have a sense of company. He stands in front of it for a moment, contemplating and adjusting the heat and the luminosity, so that the room will warm up quickly but the light won’t be blinding. A tame white fire dances idly, casting a gentle glow all around and lulling his wariness, melting his inhibitions. He doesn’t realize for how long he has been standing there, until two slender arms wrap around him, a warm body pressing against his back while a pair of pretty hands rests treasuringly on his chest. Chanyeol feels a small kiss on the left side of his throat, a spot which might be bitten later on, and heavens, that small gesture feels so seductive for some reason.

“Your scent is making me feel lightheaded” Baekhyun mumbles quietly, and Chanyeol slowly turns around in his arms, looking down at him. Baekhyun’s lips are slack and parted slightly, his head leaning into Chanyeol’s touch when the taller strokes a hand over his cheek, and he looks up with his puppy eyes, pupils shifting regardless of the light in the room; Chanyeol thinks _oh_ , he has seen this before. He has seen Baekhyun’s eyes shifting like this, but he could never understand the reason behind it; now that he does, he feels very flattered.

He leans down with a faint, assured smile, and he catches glimpses of Baekhyun’s gaze lowering to his mouth, then his eyes slowly closing and his pink tongue nervously weting his lips, as Chanyeol’s kiss nears. His breath is warm and sweet in anticipation against Chanyeol’s lips, for just one moment before he kisses him, gently brushing his lips over Baekhyun’s pout repeatedly, relishing the way their mouths slot so perfectly, so eager to fill the crevices and seams with warm flesh and the lingering taste of strawberries. Baekhyun’s arms tighten around him and Chanyeol draws the smaller body even closer, when they start stumbling to the bed, reaching for each other’s lips continuously, hating every breadth of space that comes between them from uneven steps and dizzying heartbeats. Chanyeol loses his sense of orientation in the room, the bonds they already share fawning over Baekhyun’s proximity and trying to wrap around every inch of him. But eventually, his knees hit the mattress and he ends up sitting down on the side of the bed, losing his hold on Baekhyun.

The shorter stands in front of him, looking down at the taller with deep dark eyes for just one second, before he straddles Chanyeol unreservedly, making himself comfortable in his lap without a second thought; the sudden proximity in this position makes Chanyeol blush a bit, but he is not complaining. It feels kind of nice - _very_ nice. Baekhyun’s thighs are warm against Chanyeol’s legs, his hands cradling Chanyeol’s face on both sides as he leans forward and resumes kissing him sweetly, wanting him. Chanyeol gently wraps his arms around the smaller’s waist, pressing his fingers on either side of Baekhyun’s spine and dragging them upwards to his shoulder blades, massaging his broad back; every line of his body is so tempting, so thrilling. Baekhyun sighs a little, his body relaxing, his weight shifting on Chanyeol’s legs in a strangely arousing way. While his spine is melting, as if remembering to hold on last minute, he jolts a little on Chanyeol’s lap and his arms enclose around Chanyeol’s neck swiftly in a strong hold; Chanyeol takes advantage of the shift and catches Baekhyun’s lower lip in his mouth, cushioning it comfortably between his lips and treating it gently, scraping his teeth against it affectionately and licking over it soothingly, tasting strawberries and Baekhyun’s warmth. Baekhyun’s breath is irregular and sharp through his nose, his hips shifting restlessly under Chanyeol’s hands.

Tenderly, Baekhyun’s lithe fingers slide over the side of Chanyeol’s sensitive neck and trail over his collarbone, dipping lower to untangle the laces of Chanyeol’s shirt blindly while they kiss. The fabric feels a little ticklish at first, but then his lukewarm and delicate fingertips start stroking the skin of Chanyeol’s chest underneath, making Chanyeol’s fire jump and race towards them excitedly. One of Chanyeol’s hands slides lower from its perch on the small of Baekhyun’s waist, trailing over the belt loops of the pants and lower, over the tempting curve of his rear, feeling plush against Chanyeol’s hand. Baekhyun’s breath catches a little in his throat, as Chanyeol’s fingers press down on the centre seam, following its length, until his hand hooks underneath it, his palm filling with supple flesh, his fingers pressing between Baekhyun’s legs; he squeezes the soft mound experimentally and Baekhyun gasps, lips parting in a silent exclamation, his fingers fisting in Chanyeol’s shirt. He looks so flushed and wrecked already, lips incriminatingly puffy, eyes hooded and dark.

Chanyeol can almost taste the roses when he tentatively runs his tongue over the in-seam of those red, pouty lips, which have opened so temptingly to let out hot puffs of racing breath. Baekhyun keens brokenly and welcomes him into his mouth, lips pliant and soft, as Chanyeol pushes his tongue inside, tasting every millimeter he can reach, acquainting himself with his mate and savoring every moment of their passionate kiss. He coaxes Baekhyun into a slower, deeper kiss, the smaller whimpering when their tongues brush a certain way, the vibrations wrapping around Chanyeol’s tongue deliciously. Baekhyun has started a rhythm with his hips, pressing them down into Chanyeol’s kneading hand, the muscles of his legs tightening and loosening, the bulging front of his pants stroking ever so lightly against Chanyeol’s hardened member, only to encourage the fire burning inside him, shimmying its wings pompously to impress his mate.

They want more, it is obvious in the eager responses of their bodies trying to synchronize and lure each other closer, but they run out of breath, almost too caught up into each other to notice. Baekhyun pulls back with a breathless gasp to kiss Chanyeol’s jaw, following its angle with more short kisses, all the way to his ear, hot lips mouthing around the shell and making Chanyeol groan, both his hands pulling the smaller closer. His thoughts are hazy with the intoxicating scent of roses, filling his lungs and making him feel even more sensitive to every touch. Baekhyun has a hand gingerly wrapped around the back of Chanyeol’s neck as he trails kisses down Chanyeol’s throat over his burning pulse, making Chanyeol feel wanted and treasured in the same time, so vulnerable with his neck exposed at Baekhyun’s mercy. His tongue leaves wet spots on Chanyeol’s skin, and the taller closes his eyes in pleasure, his cheeks burning from the sensation of tingles spreading all over, under the surface. Baekhyun has to bend his back a little, to kiss lower on Chanyeol’s skin, being revealed little by little as his one hand pulls the fabric of his loose shirt aside, nosing along Chanyeol’s clavicle.

Chanyeol places his hands on either side of Baekhyun’s waist to help him balance at first, even though Baekhyun’s body is made to hunt exceptionally well and doesn’t need any support, so his fingers soon slip underneath Baekhyun’s large shirt instead; Baekhyun’s body trembles at the contact, his skin raising goose bumps under Chanyeol’s warm touch and all across his torso, which Chanyeol reads under his fingertips like velvet. Chanyeol lets his hands follow the ridges of Baekhyun’s ribs, running up his sides, his hands roaming languidly under the shirt, stroking across his back, blunt nails scraping lightly down his spine when Baekhyun mouths at a sensitive spot below his ear. His fingertips ghost over Baekhyun’s taut stomach, caressing his lower abdomen just over the belt and feeling Baekhyun’s hips jerk impatiently into his touch, then he searches back up towards his chest blindly, drawing out a gasp against his neck when he nudges a roused nub on Baekhyun’s hard pectorals. Baekhyun's heart is beating fast in his chest, his breaths hollow, small gasps and groans leaving his throat while Chanyeol maps out his body in the dimly lit room.

Baekhyun bows his head lower and pecks tiny kisses along Chanyeol’s chest before he mouths at one sensitive bud, hot lips eliciting an illegally deep moan from the taller’s throat. Chanyeol is a little surprised, embarrassed by his weak and scandalously pleasured voice, but when he looks down at Baekhyun to say anything, the smaller is smiling against his skin, no need for words, eyes closed contentedly, and then he laps at the bud again, pink tongue pressing with more determination. A loud gasp escapes Chanyeol’s lips, his body squirming with the pleasure that shoots up his spine, and he whines a little at the relentless treatment of Baekhyun’s warm mouth, slow strokes of his tongue and hard sucks of his lips.

When Baekhyun is satisfied and Chanyeol feels almost numb, incoherent from the stimulation, Baekhyun kisses along the taller’s exposed clavicle, nipping slightly on the way, to the ball of Chanyeol’s shoulder; but the neckline has reached its limits being stretched and it won’t fall any further. Baekhyun’s shirt is equally frustrating to Chanyeol, bunching over his arms and hindering his access, restricting his touch. Baekhyun’s eyes are dark with lust, but his expression is contrastingly meek when he mumbles against Chanyeol’s skin, blinking up at him. “Take it off?” he pleas quietly, moist lips jamming against the skin, and Chanyeol nods profusely, his thoughts exactly the same in that moment. Baekhyun helps him take off his shirt efficiently, pulling it over his head and throwing it to the side; Chanyeol swiftly unbuttons the shirt Baekhyun had borrowed and slides it over the soft skin of his shoulders with eager fingers, letting him push the sleeves away from his arms by himself till the shirt drops to the floor with a quiet thud; a moment of stillness sneaks between them.

 _He is beautiful_ , Chanyeol thinks, eyes captivated by an equally shirtless Baekhyun. For all of Baekhyun’s promiscuous undressing habits, Chanyeol had never seen directly any part of skin he shouldn’t have before, and now he is awed at the beauty of him. His body is slender, but his shoulders are wide and robust, his muscles not particularly defined but hinting at well-toned down his torso, his waist tapering slightly and curving out to wider hips. His exposed skin is pale, a little flushed on his neck, and doted by dozens of beauty marks, black spots sprinkled all over his skin like constellations –and they might be just that. Baekhyun has a hungry look in his eyes, one which Chanyeol has seen before and it sends shivers down his spine, his body anticipating to be ravished by the predator in Baekhyun, instinctively responding to his mate. But when Baekhyun notices Chanyeol’s fascinated stare, his eyes widen self-consciously and his expression turns into vulnerable puppy eyes, his lips, slightly red and swollen from the kisses, pouting shyly.

“It’s…it’s the only markings I can have on my skin, I…I have them ever since I can remember my body” he defends quietly, sounding embarrassed, his arms crossing over his chest to hide himself, his gaze avoiding Chanyeol’s eyes, his cheeks glowing strawberry pink. Chanyeol thinks that Baekhyun is perfect, just the way he is, and he doesn’t want him to hide; he vaguely remembers Baekhyun asking the same thing from him so long ago. He takes Baekhyun’s fidgety wrists gently in his hands, and Baekhyun gives him a troubled, uncertain look, which he returns with a reassuring, adoring gaze. He carefully guides Baekhyun’s yielding arms apart, no sense of rush or force, until Baekhyun’s arms are limp on his sides and his body is exposed to Chanyeol once more. His beauty is breathtaking.

Chanyeol leans forward timidly, and presses his lips over one mark reverently, his eyes closed, sensing Baekhyun’s heart beating hard in his chest, almost rippling the surface. All his time, Baekhyun had been carrying a sky on him and Chanyeol didn’t know. Baekhyun’s body trembles slightly, his abdomen tensing a little after the contact. Chanyeol pulls back a tiny bit and looks up at him, asking for permission wordlessly, and Baekhyun takes a good look at him, contemplating. In the end he nods his head subtly in consent, convinced of Chanyeol’s intensions.

In a well-orchestrated move, they twirl gradually and turn around on the bed, Baekhyun ending up lying on his back and Chanyeol hovering close above him. Baekhyun stretches his arms on the mattress over his head submissively, giving Chanyeol a timid, expectant look, trusting him completely, puppy eyes round and blown. Chanyeol smiles at him fondly, his bonds caressing against Baekhyun’s soothingly, before he starts kissing down his chest and torso, mapping out the stars, his hands stroking lightly all over, painting the firmament on the skin. He lingers on a lone star under Baekhyun’s clavicle and on a cluster over his pectoral, licking slightly over the dense markings over his stomach and littering butterfly kisses down his freckled abdomen, his fingers running down his ribs on Baekhyun’s sides. Baekhyun is very responsive, soon trembling and arching under Chanyeol’s touch, soft sighs and little whimpers falling from his lips. Chanyeol kisses over constellations and rogue stars, his lips leaving wishes on each.

He wishes he had words to express everything brilliant he feels in his heart for his angel, his little star.

He wishes he could have him for more than one last night, to whisper in his ears how amazing he is before they fall asleep.

He wishes there was a way to heal their lonely, wandering souls until they meet again at the end of time.

“Ohh, Chanyeol…Chan-yeol” Baekhyun breathes Chanyeol’s name in pleasured moans and gasps between muttered words, strings of loving whispers falling from his lips, his eyes closed and lips parted in a sinful expression of satisfaction. Chanyeol loves to have him like this, so open and unreserved, so beautiful and engaging, thrashing with every touch of his lips and shivering with every caress of his fingers, making him feel treasured and adored as he deserves. Every call of his name in the husky voice of his mate makes Chanyeol’s fire stir, pleading for more.

Naturally, Chanyeol is tempted to go lower. His small kisses on the smooth expanse of skin under Baekhyun’s belly button bring him very close to Baekhyun’s aroused member, straining in his pants, a heady scent that resembles roses but not quite intoxicating him. His hands slither down to rest on Baekhyun’s hips, his elbows digging in the mattress for balance, and he tentatively noses along the bulging length, confined and burning hot under the fabric. His lips part silently, the heat igniting further in his own system and burning low in his body, making him drool inside his mouth sensing Baekhyun’s arousal. _More, more, please more._ But before he can do anything further, Baekhyun jerks a little with a muffled moan and his fingers comb through Chanyeol’s hair, bringing him out of his drunken trance and coaxing him to look up.

The sight is corruptingly stunning. Baekhyun is looking down at him, winded and panting, his eyes heavy-lidded and dark, catching the white sparks of the fire in the most alluring ways. His fangs look a bit longer through his wickedly parted lips, the skin of his body flushed and fading red in the spots Chanyeol’s lips treated enthusiastically before. He doesn’t know what Baekhyun sees when he looks at him, crouched low over his body and begging to devour him, his fire grumbling and dancing madly in his chest. After a few long moments of meaningful eye contact, Baekhyun removes his fingers from Chanyeol’s hair in a comforting caress, silently surrendering.

Chanyeol leaves one more kiss on Baekhyun’s softly breathing tummy as his hands undo the buttons of the pants, and then he carefully pries the garment off, along with the undergarments. The waistline catches on Baekhyun’s ample hips, in spite of the larger size since the pants are Chanyeol’s, but Chanyeol manages to slide them all the way down Baekhyun’s milky legs with little effort, pale skin and flushed joints looking so tender. He stands on the side of the bed and takes a moment to himself, admiring Baekhyun’s naked body, splayed against the sheets. His freckles drizzle all the way down to his hips, expanding up to his chest and wrapping around his ribs, probably bespeckling his back as well. His body has such nice lines, from his relaxed shoulders and his graceful hands resting idly on his stomach, to his tapered waist and flaring hips, his length curled pink on his belly, then to his full thighs, curved knees and dainty ankles. Chanyeol finally realizes the seductive allure hiding in the charming elegance of a vampire, which Baekhyun so effortlessly possesses.

“And you…?” Baekhyun prods shyly after a while of silent staring with just the ambient light of the fire flickering between them, his cheeks pink in embarrassment as he bites his lower lip, sharp white teeth denting the flesh. He fidgets bashfully, his gaze dropping from Chanyeol’s bewildered face to his naked torso and then to his- oh. Right, Chanyeol is still half-clothed. With slightly clumsy moves, his mind foggy with arousal and embarrassment, Chanyeol undoes his own pants and pushes them hastily down his long legs. He has never been so exposed to anyone’s eyes before, except for Baekhyun’s once, but this time is different.

“I’m…” he mumbles awkwardly, trailing off to nothing coherent in embarrassment, avoiding Baekhyun’s eyes. He is not perfect, he knows; but the small humming noise in Baekhyun’s throat answering his rambling makes Chanyeol hope he is desirable enough as a mate. It certainly makes him long to have Baekhyun purring under his hands again soon. He tries to overcome his demure nervousness, busying himself with walking to the nightstand to retrieve the bottle of rose oil he keeps there, usually smearing a few drops on his pillow when he can’t sleep –but he has an entirely different use for it in mind right now, his cheeks burning at the connotation. It doesn’t help that he can _feel_ Baekhyun’s intense stare on him, his unabashed gaze raking up and down the taller’s body, from his ruffled hair to his calves and over every crevice of skin and bone in-between. When he turns to the bed, he catches a glimpse of Baekhyun’s haughty smirk, accompanying his naughty gaze, the smaller body stretching and squirming on the sheets.

But his confidence fades when Chanyeol returns to the bed kneeling on the edge, his hands brushing over Baekhyun’s knees and tenderly pushing them apart as he moves over him. Baekhyun looks a little reserved now, biting his lip, black hair fanned around his pink face and casting shadows on his forehead, but he allows Chanyeol to spread his legs, enough for him to settle between them. They could switch if Baekhyun wants to, Chanyeol wouldn’t mind, but Baekhyun seems comfortable like this after a few silent moments. Chanyeol’s fingertips ghost over the pale skin of Baekhyun’s legs, hypnotized, before his lips slowly attach to it; he kisses up Baekhyun’s trembling inner thigh, Baekhyun’s fingers tangling in Chanyeol’s hair again and holding him gently, as his hips make rhythmic little convulsions. Soft moans and warm encouragements resound in the room in Baekhyun’s husky voice, heightening Chanyeol’s confidence, the glow of the fire turning balmy in the air. Chanyeol keenly sucks blooming marks on the sensitive skin on both legs, his senses lulled and heightened in the same time by Baekhyun’s low, sweet words, and he grinds his own hips against the bed. He knows his marks will fade till morning; so he sucks even harder, bruising deep under the skin, purple flowers that will remain invisibly, even after the mark fades from the surface. Baekhyun is his and he will claim Chanyeol tonight.

“Yeol, ah~ please” he whines, his knees wobbling, his fingers twitching in Chanyeol’s hair. When Baekhyun’s lithe body is delirious with desire, Chanyeol’s hands make quick work of opening the bottle and coating the fingers of one hand in oil. He slides them lightly over the back of Baekhyun’s bent leg, down his pale thigh and round that last intimate curve of his body, before he presses them tentatively against the burning, pink rim. But Baekhyun flinches a little with a small squeak, his entire body tensing, and Chanyeol freezes right away, looking up to see Baekhyun’s wide puppy eyes. He doesn’t want him to be uncomfortable, so he waits patiently to hear Baekhyun’s concern.

“Will it hurt?” Baekhyun asks quietly after a bit of thought, his voice a little anxious. He shivers when Chanyeol’s hand slips from its place between his legs a little, sighing from the overpowering lust clouding his thoughts momentarily. Chanyeol sits up a little to have a proper look at him.

“Your body heals fast, so the initial discomfort should be gone soon. It’d be easier if you relax” he reassures him, pecking his knee lovingly. Baekhyun blinks at him, his blush spreading over his nose shyly; so cute. “I’ll do my best” he promises, a wide grin curving his lips to lighten the mood –and he thinks his fangs are slightly longer, maybe because he can sense his mate invitingly near. Baekhyun takes a long, contemplative look at him, and then mutters a shy agreement through his pouty lips. He reaches one hand for Chanyeol, his limb outlined beautifully in the glow of the fire, and the latter leans closer, letting Baekhyun bring him up over him again and reclaim his lips for a deep kiss.

Chanyeol does his best to keep Baekhyun distracted from any pain, kissing him deeper when he whines and his fingers twist into the sheets, after the first finger breaches in. He whispers sweet nothings against Baekhyun’s lips, licking into his mouth and promising the burn will diminish soon; Baekhyun clings onto him a bit desperately, with little hums and whispers. Baekhyun is warm and tight, silky to Chanyeol’s touch, and the pressure around his prodding fingers is daunting him, slowly corrupting his sanity. True to Chanyeol’s words, Baekhyun relaxes soon enough, no hints of pain wrinkling his nose or curling his lips anymore, his lashes fluttering and his huffing breath turning deep and slow, synchronizing with Chanyeol’s fingers thrusting inside him lazily.

“Yes, yes, ah~ Yeol, yes” he mumbles feverishly, voice deep in pleasure, low and breathy, when Chanyeol starts scissoring his fingers slightly. Baekhyun’s lips part in a wordless plea and Chanyeol kisses the edge of his trembling mouth, sensing him squirm in his hold deliciously when a third finger is added, preparing him well. Baekhyun is dazed, eyes lidded and voice vibrating in arousal, so beautiful, his legs fidgeting and squeezing around Chanyeol’s waist. He throws his head back, arching off the mattress and pulling the sheets with a reverberating moan of Chanyeol’s name, when the searching fingers inside him curl and brush that sensitive spot, his muscles tensing all across his body, before he slumps on the bed again, with a breathless, pitched wail. The shameless vocalization sends a jolt straight between Chanyeol’s legs, and he groans, seeking that spot again with fervor, watching Baekhyun as he draws his lower lip between his lips and closes his eyes in bliss. The tendrils of their bonds quiver with pleasure, curling inside Chanyeol. He presses a more lingering kiss on the underside of Baekhyun’s sharp jaw reverently, his own heavy member twitching against Baekhyun’s thigh, from the stunning faces of pleasure and delightfully seductive sounds the smaller sings underneath him, nearly coming apart with every play and thrust of Chanyeol’s fingers.

“I want to claim you, Baekhyun” he mumbles in a voice an octave lower than usual and almost rumbling in his chest; his body is almost tearing to its fibers with want, his fire burning brightly and singing to Baekhyun through Chanyeol’s veins. Baekhyun throws his head back, exposing his neck for him willingly, as Chanyeol pulls his fingers out gingerly and folds Baekhyun’s knees higher, his eyes searching for Baekhyun’s gaze. It takes a moment for the smaller to look back at him as if Chanyeol called his name, enormous pupils making his eyes seem a little unfocused, but Chanyeol is sure Baekhyun is looking at him, the lines of his face slowly relaxing into an affectionate little smile, his fingers caressing up Chanyeol’s arms and perching on his shoulders.

“I’d kiss you right now, but my fangs are too long” Baekhyun says playfully, a breathless giggle leaving his throat when Chanyeol smiles too, his grinning lips competing with his eyes for Baekhyun’s attention. Baekhyun’s eyes keep shifting between Chanyeol’s eyes and his mouth, etching to memory his mate’s flushed face. He steals Chanyeol’s breath right from his lips when the taller leans down for a kiss; his fangs are not as long, so he can kiss Baekhyun if he is careful.

He lines himself and steadily pushes into Baekhyun just as he kisses him, and Baekhyun’s lips part further in a silent cry. Just the tip is in, but it’s so tight and so hot that Chanyeol loses his breath. He is very careful, gradually filling Baekhyun till he is buried to the hilt, sweat starting to trickle down his back from the intense effort, his deep voice filling the room alongside Baekhyun’s gasps and moans and whimpers. He tries to distract himself from the feeling of Baekhyun’s heat encasing him in velvety warmth, the skin on his shoulders itching a little where Baekhyun’s claws accidentally scratched, drawing out in the heat of the moment but receding again. He stays still, only breathing for a while, letting them both adjust and trying to gather his mind, his fire boiling in his chest. He smoothes his lips over Baekhyun’s, over and over, until the gaping, pouty lips turn a pretty cherry color, while he waits for a signal from Baekhyun. Baekhyun’s breaths slowly turn deeper, less rugged and hurried; he tries to kiss Chanyeol back, but his fangs won’t let him close his lips, so Chanyeol smiles and nibbles on his lower lip, their breaths mingling in a gasp when Baekhyun’s hips twitch, wiggling slightly. Chanyeol reflexively starts rocking into him tentatively, slow and deep in the satin heat. He presses his tongue flat against one of Baekhyun’s sensitive fangs and the smaller wails, overwhelmed.

Chanyeol starts a comfortable pace, each thrust of his hips accompanied by a small lick against Baekhyun’s protruding fangs, and Baekhyun falls into his rhythm effortlessly, moaning in pleasure thus triggering Chanyeol’s mind and senses. Baekhyun’s tongue curls around Chanyeol’s to bring it into his mouth and the smaller sucks on it, causing Chanyeol’s thighs to tremble, a moan escaping his throat and getting swallowed by Baekhyun. The smaller is moving underneath him, his body dancing in slithering motions that start from his hips, pressing his reddened member against Chanyeol’s abs and shifting around Chanyeol’s member inside him, making him see sparks. Then his waist curves up and his spine arches, the movement coiling up the line of his back, until his neck is stretching bare to tilt his head back, enjoying Chanyeol’s tongue on his teeth and in his mouth. It’s like the waves of a tranquil sea in the moonlight, so beautiful and hypnotizing. Baekhyun sighs in pleasure and Chanyeol wounds him up, tighter and tighter like the string of his bow, the fire inside him scorching his veins and surrendering him defenseless to Baekhyun’s slow pulses.

A hand threads into Chanyeol’s hair, the touch on his nape numbing his spine as his fire gnaws against it. “Lift me” Baekhyun chokes out in a whispering voice, his mind hazy, his fingers clutching onto Chanyeol’s shoulders. Chanyeol’s lips latch onto Baekhyun’s collarbone as he slips an arm under Baekhyun’s arching waist and lifts them both, so that he is sitting on his hunches with Baekhyun in his lap. They both moan at the change, Chanyeol barely recognizing his voice so deep, but absently noticing how nice it sounds in chorus with Baekhyun. When Baekhyun is straddling him, his member pushes ever deeper inside the tight heat of Baekhyun’s body, blinking starlight at the edges of his vision. Baekhyun’s body is almost too limp to support itself, so Chanyeol warps both arms around his waist and presses him close to his chest.

It starts with little swivels of Baekhyun’s hips, rubbing his sensitive walls against Chanyeol’s hardness languorously, his nose pressed against Chanyeol’s jaw, his vocalizations muffled behind his lips, only letting out little noises and short cries. Chanyeol is grasping at the fraying threads of his sanity like a drowning man, his senses gradually turning over-stimulated and suffocating him. He struggles for breath and growls deep into his chest against Baekhyun, desperately trying to hear his senseless mumbles, holding tighter when Baekhyun lifts himself and then sinks back in Chanyeol’s lap, his entire body frame quivering. He does it a few more times, and then Chanyeol helps him, giving little thrusts upwards reflexively, which rub right against Baekhyun’s sweet spot; Baekhyun whines and his moves turn more aggressive, his muscles clumping around Chanyeol exasperatingly, until Chanyeol is desperately delirious, brokenly mumbling Baekhyun’s name like he is all he knows. He could surrender like this again and again, until there’d be nothing else of him to give.

He almost doesn’t notice, except for the thrill tickling their bonds, when Baekhyun kisses down the left side of his throat, leaving gentle sucks and little nips on his pulse, making flowers bloom in his soul. He kisses gently at the base of Chanyeol’s throat and then sinks his teeth over the same spot, hard. Common sense says there should be pain, but all Chanyeol can feel is blazing flames running down his spine, and pleasure gripping his stomach. His deep, drawn-out moan nearly overshadows Baekhyun’s low growl against Chanyeol’s skin, his pleasure running through Chanyeol like a wave, enveloping his heart with something warm that remains untouched from desire, pure and brilliant, like a tiny star. He has to fight against his orgasm, to hold on a little longer to bite Baekhyun back, but it’s not an easy thing to do, with Baekhyun’s body tensing around him, pulling him deeper, the scent of roses mixing with Chanyeol’s fire.

Mercifully, Baekhyun takes a figurative step back from the edge, relaxing his body a little as he stops sucking the stray blood drops on Chanyeol’s skin, the undulating movement of his hips starting again temptingly. Chanyeol looks up at him, his messy black hair and swollen lips, fangs gleaming mysteriously in the light of the fire, cheeks flushed all across his nose. Baekhyun is looking down at him too, eyes almost black and lidded, gaze searing; Chanyeol’s fire shivers in his chest, lulled and tame. Baekhyun sneaks his fingers into Chanyeol’s mouth seductively, little by little, first outlining and massaging his lips, smearing saliva obscenely, and then he starts stroking Chanyeol’s fangs devotedly.

It’s a sensation that pushes Chanyeol closer to his end, slowly and steadily, Baekhyun’s touch feeling so soothing and yet riling him up, feeling so good. He never thought his teeth could feel so sensitive, but the strokes are excruciatingly tender, clouding his mind, tasting like Baekhyun, and Chanyeol subconsciously pulls him closer, as close as being pressed flush against him, and it’s still not enough. Baekhyun pulls his fingers out when Chanyeol’s lips are hovering over the left side of his neck, and Chanyeol licks the flushed, translucent skin, his arousal spiking when he tastes Baekhyun, his mouth watering. He closes his eyes and one moment later, his teeth sink into Baekhyun’s flesh against his pulsating heartbeat.

_Mate._

A lot of things happen at once. Baekhyun’s blood flows into Chanyeol’s awaiting mouth, coating his senses like a silken touch, seducing him to the edge of bliss. Baekhyun lets out a luscious moan and comes undone, ribbons flinging against the skin of Chanyeol’s abs, his body tensing like never before, squeezing Chanyeol deep inside him and enticing him into his own orgasm. Chanyeol sees black as he falls, spent, spiraling into the abyss of sweet bliss, and then Baekhyun’s blinding white light of glee, warming his heart and turning his limbs pleasantly loose. He can feel the bond, tightly wrapped around their hearts, glowing crystal, and all the colors he thinks beautiful in the world, like a newborn star in the universe.

When he comes down from the high, still dazed and infatuated with the soft and brilliant emotions, he sees Baekhyun, smiling like a content cat, all perfect fangs, and slick, swollen lips, like velvety rose petals. His cheeks are flushed deep red, strands of his hair falling messily over his forehead, and his eyes are curved into cute little crescents, the pupils blown against his silver and blue irises; he looks positively debauched and ravished, in such a lovely and breathtaking way. He is still swiveling his hips a little, lazily drawing circles, prolonging the pleasure; Chanyeol’s sensitive member gives one last, beautifully painful twitch inside him. Chanyeol looks at the wrinkles of Baekhyun’s smile, the slick sheen of sweat on his skin, the colors of his eyes, his beautiful face, and his heart stops.

He is not lonely anymore, and he’ll never be alone; he will always be carrying a fragment of Baekhyun in his soul.

Baekhyun leans forward slowly, his arms wrapping around Chanyeol’s shoulders sensually, wrinkling his nose a little when he bumps it against Chanyeol’s nose affectionately. Chanyeol giggles and basks in the sweet gestures of his mate, his hands tracing little patterns on the small of Baekhyun’s back. He closes his eyes, feeling the warmth between them, trying to stop time, to etch this moment in his memory in every sense and heartbeat. He blushes a bit when Baekhyun kisses his cheek, then noses his ear.

“My Chanyeol” Baekhyun whispers knowingly, possessively, adoringly into Chanyeol’s ear, lips brushing against it; it sounds so fulfilling, Chanyeol’s fire purrs contentedly. Baekhyun kisses Chanyeol’s jaw treasuringly before reclaiming his lips in a sweet, lingering kiss. Chanyeol smiles against his lips serenely.

_My Baekhyun._

~~~

Baekhyun wakes up feeling wonderfully warm. He hasn’t felt warm in a while. He curls closer to the source of heat, pressing his cheek against it and tightening his limbs around it; there are veils of light playing behind his eyelids, soft pinks and corals blending in kaleidoscopic shapes. His skin feels sensitive, in a pleasantly tender way, pressing against a smooth, velvety surface, and he breathes happily, rubbing his cold nose against it. It smells familiar, with a few notes of soft cotton and fabric softener. His body is relaxed, relieved of all strains, and there is a muted, rhythmic melody playing under his ear. He breathes the scent deep into his lungs, relishing the deliciously sweet and comfortingly warm fragrance, his roses mingling with it faintly, and he exhales in a contented sigh. A small smile curls his sleepy lips, his ankles stretching under the sheets.

He knows he is exactly where he’s always supposed to be.

He naps lazily for a while, feeling the morning sun warming his cheeks from where it sneaks in through the window, listening to spring birds chirping outside and slow breaths beside him, pacing his own with them. He feels peaceful, the bonds in his body twinkling blissfully, steadily attached and fitted perfectly against the soul of the man he is holding. His eyelashes flutter open slowly, to an expanse of naked skin, pale and unblemished, following gentle ridges over muscles and bones, and then disappearing in a pool of white sheets. Baekhyun can make out the shape of his own leg, tangled with Chanyeol’s long limbs, and he dazedly notes that his hand is splayed over the taller’s wide chest, rising and falling with his every breath.

Details and vivid emotions from last night spark in his memory, making him blush a little, but their evidence has been washed from his skin, by a very indulgent and doting Chanyeol, last night before they went to sleep. He cannot complain for the relaxing, warm bath he shared with the taller, and the clean sense on his skin feels nice this morning.

Baekhyun looks up, his cheek rubbing against Chanyeol’s bare shoulder, to see his mate’s sleeping face. His heart flutters at the idea of waking up to this for the rest of his life; the past has faded from his qualms like a bad dream. His eyes observe the strong angles of Chanyeol’s face, his skin glowing slightly in the sunlight, his lips slightly parted to let out soft breaths, his eyelashes quivering over his cheekbones. Chanyeol’s expression is serene as he sleeps, oblivious, his breaths even, one arm thrown to the side and the other pillowed under Baekhyun’s head. His hair is messy on his pillow and around his face, black strands contrasting his fair skin; Baekhyun lifts one hand to comb them behind Chanyeol’s pointy ear, revealing his skin to the sun and lightly tracing his fingers over it. Chanyeol is beautiful like this.

He returns his hand to the taller’s open chest, fingertips lazily stroking the skin, but his eyes remain set on admiring Chanyeol’s handsome features. The fire he is familiar with by now, squirms in Chanyeol’s chest under his touch, following the patterns he traces invisibly, as if playing with him. Baekhyun’s lips twitch in a smile at the thought and he starts caressing across Chanyeol’s chest and abdomen, in big and smaller loops, languid curves and little designs, and the warmth underneath Chanyeol’s skin swirls, chasing after Baekhyun’s touch. There are little goose bumps rising on the flesh, warm and responsive in the sunlight. Baekhyun’s fingers slowly slide lower with interest, his senses clouding slightly with the heady scent of Chanyeol’s body; his touch feathers over muscles and hot skin, it slips under the barrier of wrinkled sheets and- _oh_.

He was right. Chanyeol is aroused.

Baekhyun smirks evilly, with a strange sense of pride blooming inside him; his hands playing with Chanyeol’s fire have stimulated him in his sleep, and Baekhyun can’t wait till he is awake to play some more. His fingers retreat for now, even though it is tempting to touch Chanyeol when the latter is unguarded, but he wants to see his eyes blowing black and then dark burgundy once more, just like last night. His gaze falls to the claiming bite on Chanyeol’s neck; the wound has already healed for the most part, only a faint purple bruise and two scarring red puncture wounds from Baekhyun’s teeth remain. But he can sense what his eyes can’t see, golden threads and red ribbons, beautiful, unbreakable ties.

He slithers higher in the taller’s embrace, careful not to nudge him, and noses along the boundaries of his bite. No one else can ever have him now. Chanyeol stirs, his head turning the other way, exposing his neck to Baekhyun; he looks so vulnerable, so soft, so tempting, that Baekhyun would be lying if he said he doesn’t want to bite him again. Instead, he closes his eyes and presses a reverent kiss over the mark, careful not to hurt the sore spot, and he continues peppering kisses all around lovingly, tracing up to Chanyeol’s ear and down to his clavicle, his hand stroking soothingly over Chanyeol’s stomach. The taller’s scent becomes excitingly sweeter with every well-placed short kiss, and eventually he wakes up from Baekhyun’s ministrations, with a quiet, cracked whimper. Baekhyun pauses to look up at him.

“Good morning” he calls gently, his face breaking into a wide smile. Chanyeol turns his head and slowly opens his eyes, eyelashes fluttering like the wings of a little bird against the sun. Baekhyun’s heart skips a couple of beats when he sees that crimson gaze focusing on him groggily, Chanyeol’s lips jutted out in an adorable pout. It takes him a few moments to realize what his eyes are seeing, and then his breath catches, eyes suddenly widening.

“Baekhyun?” he gasps in disbelief, his heart thundering in alarm under Baekhyun’s touch. Baekhyun just keeps smiling at him sweetly, watching in amusement while Chanyeol gets the biggest surprise of his life. The taller tries to sit up as fast as he can but his body is still lethargic and uncooperative, so Baekhyun helps him lift his back, readjusting his own position in the process and getting comfortable in Chanyeol’s lap, the sheets tangled around them. Chanyeol’s hands anchor on Baekhyun’s waist instinctively, his large eyes staring at the shorter man in confusion and concern. “What happened?” he asks, far more sober now, his eyes scanning Baekhyun frantically, lingering a moment longer on the fresh mark on his neck.

Baekhyun loves knowing in moments like this, in the general sense of finding valuable, unexpected knowledge in his mind, like a true child of Nowhere. Because that’s how he knows, his intuition confirms it, that he no longer has to part with Chanyeol, that waking up next to him instead of finding his miserable existence returned to the island after their time ran out is a gift of the moon and not a mistake. He is allowed a lifetime with Chanyeol, he doesn’t have to go back. He can feel the bonds securing him tightly beside his mate, and his heart is at ease, enjoying to the fullest these first moments of the rest of their lives together, which they have to themselves.

“I’m not leaving, if that’s what you are so worried about” he reassures Chanyeol with a happy smile, toying with the taller’s pink ears affectionately, inwardly cooing at his endearingly worried mate. Chanyeol’s panicky efforts to wrap Baekhyun in the sheets protectively in case he is cold or harmed subside, and the fact that they are soundly together, well after the break of the dawn which should have been the end, slowly sinks in; the kicking feeling in Baekhyun’s stomach due to Chanyeol’s fretful unease disappears. Chanyeol’s burgundy eyes blink up at Baekhyun innocently, still a little surprised, but most of his fright is gone. His fingers twitch on Baekhyun’s waist, as if trying to make sure he is really holding him, that illusions have not become a twisted version of his reality.

“You’re…not?” he asks meekly in his deep voice, large eyes questioning and hesitant to believe it. He looks hopeful, like the child he once was, hair fluffy and cheeks a little red from sleep, his body gorgeously swathed in soft and bright morning light. Baekhyun wants to keep him like this forever.

“It seems you really wanted me here” he answers with a mischievous lilt in his voice, a meaningful nod to his shoulder serving as an adequate explanation. Chanyeol’s eyes follow the trajectory to the base of Baekhyun’s neck, where his binding bite mars Baekhyun’s pale skin, and his eyes widen. “I can’t go back when you need me” he adds, his tone more gentle. The realization is almost visible on Chanyeol’s face, his heart making a strange tumbling sound in his chest. He looks up at Baekhyun again, almond eyes gazing at his face and trying to believe. They hadn’t planned for this, they had no way of knowing it would have such an effect, but binding each other has been the best decision they have ever made together, because it has given them the future they both dream of.

The next thing Baekhyun knows, he is pulled forward and warm lips encase his smile fervently. He giggles in surprise but melts into Chanyeol’s kiss easily, the sheets sliding down his back and revealing Chanyeol’s hands pressing on the small of his waist. He throws both hands around Chanyeol’s neck, his fingers tangling in the taller’s hair when Chanyeol nibbles on Baekhyun’s lower lip, soothing over the tugging bites with kitten licks and soft strokes of his plush lips. The tension between them spikes, compatible feelings fueling each other, their senses heightened in the proximity of their mate, but it’s also languid and unhurried, their scents mixing in the air and making Baekhyun’s spine weak.

He finds himself rocking his hips, the heat pooling in his stomach, the barely-there friction of the sheets against his hardening member tickling his bones. Chanyeol kisses him lovingly through all the sensations, his own hard member rubbing against the sheets and Baekhyun’s plush derriere, whenever the smaller swivels his hips, searching for it. Baekhyun gasps, when Chanyeol’s hand slides lower on his body down his back, and Chanyeol flicks his tongue into Baekhyun’s mouth, earning a strung whine when he drags his tongue against the roof of Baekhyun’s mouth, his large hand sliding down and squeezing Baekhyun’s under thigh teasingly.

Baekhyun loves loves loves waking up like this.

He finds himself on his back soon with his head in the pillows, most of the sheets tumbling down out of the way when Chanyeol rolls them over, hovering over Baekhyun on the bed. Baekhyun’s pulse is frantic when Chanyeol’s lips start travelling down his jaw and neck, tracing his little moles which he seems to love so much, swollen lips fluttering over the blushed skin, and Baekhyun’s knees lock around Chanyeol’s waist to cage him close, his one hand caressing over his mark on Chanyeol’s neck. Chanyeol kisses over Baekhyun’s bruising skin on the neck sweetly, taking a moment to look down at the imprint of his fangs on Baekhyun, a proud and joyful smile curling his reddened lips. Such abundant adoration makes Baekhyun blush, his body trembling when Chanyeol glances up at him with twinkling eyes, his burgundy irises swirling and his pupils dilated, dark and lustful.

“I love you, angel” he says, deep voice reverberating against Baekhyun’s body, his indulgent emotions caressing over their tender bonds, all the way to Baekhyun’s soul. He squirms bashfully and smiles at his mate, craning his neck to kiss the edge of Chanyeol’s lips, curled in a grin brighter than the sun.

It’s as simple as that, how Baekhyun is eternally bound to the love of his life.

~~~

_Dear mother,_

Baekhyun and I have been well. The bakery keeps us busy, but spending every day with him is a blessing. He is becoming brilliantly skillful at decorating cakes, no longer only sampling them for taste. The people here love him, admiring his smile and kindness. He brings sunshine to our shop, even on the few rainy days that come over the city in early spring.

Last week, when the weather allowed, we went for long walks by the cliffs, and it was truly wonderful; the grass fields are ready to bloom and the sun was warm. We had a picnic with a view of the endless sea one day, and then spent the night stargazing, lying on the grass of the valleys. He knows many tales about the constellations I’ve never heard before, and he likes guessing the colors of each star.

He planted his first flower a couple of days ago, and he is incredibly proud of it. He checks on it every day with a wide smile on his face –he overwaters it, of course, but I keep it alive for him without any trouble at all. He practically glows whenever our customers praise his bloom. He can’t wait to meet you, come late spring, when we expect you and father to visit us.

As for me…I’m happy.

The End.


End file.
